Luke 8:11-15

"Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience." 

Luke 8:11-15 (ESV)

I love that Jesus knows us so personally, so intimately, so deeply that He was able to leave us with exactly what we need within the pages of His Word. When I read this passage, I imagine myself dissolving out of my seat into a cafe far away from here enjoying coffee with Jesus. He has invited me there because I'm in need of serious discipling. He explains to me that there are three types of people in this world: someone who hears of Him and doesn't believe, someone who believes but gets stumbled by Satan, and those who believes and perseveres though it all. He desperately wants me to be in the third group but sadly, I'm in the second. He tells me I'm distracted by the cares and riches and pleasures of life. I need to be someone who holds fast in an honest and good heart so that I can bare the fruit He wants be to produce. As we depart, asks me to reflect on how I can change this.
What a humbling picture this verse has painted for me. As I really reflect on this, I see so many areas in which I let Satan uproot me. Since I have been here in Guatemala, one of his biggest weapons is fear. Every time I hear the phone ring, my stomach drops as I wait to see if it is my family calling telling me something terrible has happened. When I get on Facebook I wonder if my friends will forget about me while I am away. During my quiet time in the morning my mind gets filled with whispers that I am not worthy to have devotional time with God, that He isn't listening, or my relationship with Him isn't what I think it is. How can I ever bear any good fruit if each morning I allow Satan to come in and plow through all of the newly planted seeds?
I'm happy to say that I have a God that knows me well and provided a sermon this morning on just what I needed to hear to reclaim my soil. "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self control," (2 Timothy 1:7). As I go to bed tonight, I can rest in knowing that any fears I have are not from The Lord. When my stomach clenches or the feelings of doubt begin, I will remind myself that I need to persevere. I need to persevere so I can be in the third group, the group that holds fast in an honest and good heart and is able to bare fruit.

Personal Application
Today I will write 2 Timothy 1:7 on my hand to remind me that my fears are not from The Lord.