Growing up in the heart of farm country in Central Illinois, we were surrounded and engulfed in farming. Every friend lived by a field and every trip involved a drive that through mile after mile of soybeans and corn. Although no one in our family were farmers, the conversation of the weather, the condition of the crops to grow throughout the seasons, as well as the yield were a consistent dialogue.
In chapter 13 of the book of Matthew, Jesus taught eight parables all related to the Word of God and its ability to prosper and grow in our lives. He also spoke about judgment day when Jesus comes back to earth and the sinners will be separated from the believers. The parables were about seeds, soil, tares (weeds), and yield. I can understand these parables well.
As we live our lives, we are influenced in many ways. We are exposed to different people who have different views and opinions on religion and faith in Christ. We participate in different personal and professional gatherings. We live in homes and neighborhoods where we associate with different people. Some of us are close to our families, and we spend a significant amount of time with them. Social media also has an impact on our thoughts and beliefs as well when we are exposed to information daily that is influenced by the people we associate with online. And the most significant influence, our spouse or significant other.
Does the “tribe” of people you associate with influence your faith in a positive or negative way? When you speak of faith, or even going to church, do your friends and family encourage and acknowledge in a positive way? Or do they shun you like you are crazy to believe that “religion stuff?”
My prayer for you today is that you guard your life and who you associate with carefully. Surround yourself with individuals who push you to grow in your faith. Spend time with people who care for your well-being and constantly put you before themselves. Guard your spiritual life and ensure you spend time with those that help you grow your faith in Jesus by living out His Word daily. Find a great church family that inspires you to dig into the Word of God and study it daily.
The parables in chapter 13 speak of the “evil one” or “enemy” who pull us away from God. Be careful. The devil does not always appear to us in obvious ways. Evil can come in the simple form of creating doubt in Jesus and our faith. That may come from your friend group. Evil can pull us away from attending worship, reading our Bibles, or even reading daily devotions like this one. That could be your neighbors or, unfortunately, members of your family. Our thoughts that are generated from a place of pity and self-doubt can gradually erode our faith and pull us farther from God. That may come from our own frustration when our prayers are not answered.
I think the biggest “trap” that can pull us away from our faith is pain and disappointment. Many times, friends or family may question our faith because of tragedies, pain, or unanswered prayers. How can you believe in that “religion stuff” when (fill in the blank) didn’t work out?
Paster Andy Stanley says “The foundation of our faith in Jesus is not answered prayers and everything going our way. It’s always a mistake to wrap our faith and confidence in God around the fulfillment of our dreams or answered prayers. Dreams that don’t come true say nothing about the presence or faithfulness of God.”
When you question your faith, perhaps due to the influence and elements around you, remember that some of the most inspirational believers to ever walk the earth went through terrible challenges and pain. Our faith should not be based on every wish and dream coming true. Our faith is based on knowing Jesus is our Lord and Savior, is with us all the time, and will provide a “soft place to land” when the bad times come. Although we do not understand in that moment, He is using the challenges and difficulties to grow our faith in Him. Yes, bad things can create good. Guard the people and places you associate with in your life as well.
My final thoughts today are wishing my bride, Kim, a Happy 24th Anniversary (the best 20 years of my life LOL! Kim will get this). She has been such a blessing in my life. We have had an amazing life together with many adventures. Our marriage has been filled with joy and happiness as well as sadness and tragedy. What I love about our marriage is that we lean on our faith, both individually and as a couple, to partner in our union together. We give credit to Christ in the happiness and turn to Him for strength in the sadness. As every day brings uncertainty and challenges, I know with Jesus at the center of our lives, we will continue to grow in our faith together as a couple.
