But I like rocky places... not so much thorns though

Job 20
Mark 3, 4

SOAP - But I like rocky places... not so much thorns though

Scripture
Mark 4:16-19 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like the seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

Observation and Application
Jesus is explaining parts of the parable of the sower to the disciples. I think in my life a lot of times I struggle with a combination of these two parts of the parable. I feel like God calls me to do something, and I'm excited about it and take some steps in that direction, but as soon as I am met with a challenge my determination diminishes and eventually I just stop. I think I've gotten better at this, but still definitely have tons of improvement to make. I think this Bible study, a better (but still pretty pathetic) prayer life and a habit of regularly going to church have helped me here. God gives me strength and reassurance through all those things and that helps me keep going when it looks like failure is likely. I'm excited to be able to look back over the years and see the differences in my life that studying the Bible, prayer and church have made.

And I also struggle a lot in the area of the seed sown among the thorns. I usually feel like God is trying to tell me something, but all the worries and distractions of the world are making it hard for me to get the message. I get a general idea, but worrying about money or time takes me off track. Or I worry that some plan will not work. And that is silly. God's plans do work, if we follow them. That's a 100% guarantee. They may not work how we think they should, but why would they? They are not our plans, but his. God isn't telling me what he wants me to do so I can do a risk analysis of it and review it (sorry, that's what I do at work so I tend to do it everywhere). He doesn't want me to tell him all the ways I'm worried it might not work out how I think it should, or all the ways I'd do it differently. Hmm... thinking back to small group and talking about unsolicited advice in relationships, I think I do that to God a lot. God has a plan and I spend my time thinking of all the ways I'd do it different and why it might not work, instead of just going with the plan.

I hope that as I grow in faith through Bible study, prayer and worship I will have better roots to keep me going when there are struggles. And I hope those things will also help me focus on God and not the worries and distractions in the world so that I can hear his message and go where he leads me.

Prayer
Dear Lord, please help me build me faith in you and listen to you and not the world so that I can serve you and your plans for me will be effective and not lost. Thank you Lord for all that you do for us. Thank you for your word. Thank you for your love. Amen.