Avoiding Spiritual Thorns

Image credit: Димитър Найденов / Dimìtar Nàydenov

I'm reading the parable of the sower in Mark Chapter 4, and I was struck by the things which Christ describes as "thorns" which can spring up and choke the word once we have heard it: 

• ·        The cares of this world
• ·        The deceitfulness of riches
• ·        The lusts of other things

This parable is a warning to all of us who have heard the word. Do we allow our preoccupation with success, advancement, wealth, achievement, and recognition or approval to interfere with our efforts to nourish and nurture the word of the Lord in our hearts and our lives?

What are the lusts of other things? Do we spend too much time watching TV, or on social media? Are these things interfering with habits which foster the development of a relationship with God?

Perhaps it is time to examine our lives to identify those noxious thorns which have sprung up to choke the spiritual life out of us almost without our even knowing it.

For more on how to get rid of spiritual distractions, see my article:

Scripture Master Tip #12: Rid Yourself of All Distractions