Seeds that fell among thorns

I pondered over this type of ground in Luke 8:14 " The seeds that fell among thorns represent those who hear the message, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares and riches and pleasures of this life. And so they never grow into maturity"

Sister A and family have been Christians for many years. They have been going from church to church expecting some breakthrough for their family in terms of health and finances. Each time they will go to the altar for prayer. Each time they will complain bitterly that despite so many people praying for them, their lives have not changed for the better. In fact they spoke to me once that even the unbelievers appear to have less problems than them. It was as though their problems were choking out God in their lives.

Yet another group of unbelievers who hear the word will politely decline Jesus because they feel that becoming Christians will restrict their freedom of partying, clubbing, splurging (spending money without having to account to anybody). They see Christianity as imposing on them a set of dos and donts which are uncool and which will make them lose their independance. Yet another group of young people said that they will resist God's call into full time ministry as they want to earn 'big money' and become millionaires at as young an age as possible!

The thorns of life are the "cares, riches and pleasures of this life". I have seen those struggling with the cares of life to know that the thorns can be hard to entangle. The thorns can be the struggles of putting food on the table, the problems in the family, the quarrels between husband and wife, the frustration of dealing with rebellious adult children, immorality in the family etc. Indeed if the thorns are not taken out one by one, the seeds will be choked and they will not be able to take deep roots in our hearts.

For these ones, my heart goes out to them...how would the Lord want me to help them? I pray for their heart to be open to share their problems to me, then I need God's loving wisdom to speak the word for their situation.I then seek God's help to help them bring their cares to the Lord one by one and let God unravel it for them.

As for those with riches and pleasures of life crowding out the message of life, I lay hands on them (especially my children) and ask God to show them that greater blessing and riches await them if they only know how to apply Matt 6:33 "Seek first and kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you"!