[Faith-talk] Hear God: Eliminate the Distractions

[Melody Wartenbee]

Hear God: Eliminate the Distractions

by Rick Warren

 

Other seed fell in the weeds; the weeds grew with it and strangled it. Luke
8:7 (MSG)

"If you are always on the go and you can't hear God, you are facing the
barrier of busyness."

You can't hear God when your mind is crowded with thoughts, worries, fears,
and plans, or if you always have the radio or TV on. And if you constantly
have your phone against your ear, when God calls all he gets is a busy
signal!

All of these distractions are what Jesus was referring to in Luke 8 when he
talked about the seed falling in the weeds. Today's verse says those weeds
grew with the seed and strangled it.

Now notice that this scenario is a little bit better than the shallow soil
because the seed actually sprouts and grows. But the weeds choke it out so
it never bears fruit. So many people hear God speak, but as they go on their
way, life's worries, riches, and pleasures choke them, so they never mature.


If you are always on the go and you can't hear God, you are facing the
barrier of busyness. Often we confuse busyness with productivity and they
aren't the same thing. If you keep going, going, going but you aren't
spiritually growing, growing, growing, you are busy, not productive.

Jesus says distractions are like weeds that grow up in your mind and heart,
just as weeds grow in a garden. 

There are three types of weeds that will keep you from hearing God's voice:

Worries “ The Greek word for worry is merinma, which means pulled in
different directions. When you are pulled in different directions, you are
worried. And when you are worried, you can't hear God.

Riches “ You can be so busy making a living, trying to make money to pay the
bills and get out of debt that you can't hear God.

Pleasures  God gives you pleasures, and they are a good thing. But you can
get so busy pursuing pleasures and fun that you forget to pursue God as
well.

How much effort does it take to grow weeds? None. Weeds are a sign of
neglect. When you neglect your time with God, the weeds start to grow in
your life. In order to overcome the weeds, you must learn to overcome your
preoccupied mind.

First Kings 19:12 says that when God spoke to Elijah, it wasn't in a wind or
earthquake or fire; it was in a gentle whisper. If you want to hear God
whisper to you, you have to be quiet. 

________________________________________

Will you going to go through the next ten years just like you did the last
ten years, or do you want a new level of blessing in your life? spiritually,
emotionally, financially, physically, mentally, vocationally and
relationally to make the next ten years the best years of our lives! 

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