Day 5 – What Stops Us From Hearing: Sin
As you begin to spend time with God, settle yourself somewhere quiet and comfortable. Take a few deep breaths. Spend a few moments gathering your thoughts, becoming aware of God’s presence with you and in you.
Journal for 5 minutes on yesterday’s reflection and practice. What did you think about and learn? What challenged you? Did God say anything to you throughout the day?
Then, begin today’s devotional.
Read: Matthew 13:8
"Still other seed fell on good ground and produced fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown."
John 15:1-5
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. Every branch in me that does not produce fruit he removes, and he prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me."
Planting seeds and growing plants aren’t necessarily among my strongest skill sets. Occasionally I have attempted a small-ish garden and harvested a few beans or peas, but usually my mediocre harvests match my meager efforts! Maybe that’s why Jesus' storytelling about seed sowing as a parable for how people hear and respond to God’s Word really hits home for me. Just as seeds need good soil filled with nutrients and moisture to become the promised plant, so also our hearts, minds, and souls must be cultivated to receive God’s Word so that we can become the disciples we’re meant to be.
Sin often acts on my heart just like the thorns and weeds of the parable – it chokes out the good voice of God. Or sometimes sin strips my soul’s soil of the good stuff – making it just a dry and dusty wasteland, unfriendly to God's voice. When I listen more to thorny words, or when my spiritual practices are meager, I'm far less likely to fully hear God's voice in my life and not much of value is going to grow in me. For that reason, God invites us to pull off the old sin nature. He calls us out of sin not because He is frustrated with us, but because He jealously wants us. Sin disrupts our ability to hear, so God calls us and helps us out of sin.
When I tend the garden of my heart, pulling the weeds, watering and cultivating the soil, I partner with the Master Gardener to grow the fruit He longs to produce in my life.
Pray:
Master Gardener, You are the one who knows best how to grow me – my faith, my discipleship, my witness. Thank You for tilling the soil of my spirit and pouring into me all that I need. Forgive me when my sin chokes out Your word, Your work, and Your voice. Help me to hear Your word best and deepest.
Journal:
Take a few moments to journal through the following question(s).
Take a moment and read out loud Exodus 34:6, "The Lord—the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth.",and Hebrews 4:14-16, "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need."
According to Scripture, what is God’s posture towards you as it pertains to sin in your life?
What specific unhealthy thoughts, beliefs, wounds, habits, and/or sins does the Spirit want to partner with you to heal and/or fight?
What are some traps and/or unhealthy patterns that you engage in? How do you cope when you are worried, sad, tired, angry, bored, lonely, insecure, or feeling like a failure?
Today's Practice:
Examen provides a way of noticing where God shows up in our day. At the end of your day, pause to reflect on the following questions:
When today did I have the deepest sense of connection with God, others, and myself?
When today did I have the least sense of connection with God, others, and myself?
Invite God to show you His goodness in and purpose for those moments, ask His forgiveness where necessary, and give Him thanks and glory for all.
By Chrystal Helmcke, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies and Theatre Arts