God's Word is always trying to find its way to your heart. David said that he hid God's Word in his heart so that he might not sin against the Lord. In your heart it can take up residence. It can be easily retrieved when confronted by an attack from the enemy. But so often I hear the lament from Christians that they heard something or read something that they did not understand. It frustrates their reading and their desire to read more. The enemy then can quickly move in to steal the seed God is trying to plant. A lot of times when I delve deeper it is often because of their approach. The Word of God is not meant to be sped-read. It is about quality, not quantity. If I spend a week reading one chapter but get so many riches and insights from God, that is better than if I had spent the week reading an entire book and feeling as if I did not understand what He was trying to say to me. Also, reading the Word without the power of the Holy Spirit will enhance your frustration. It is the Spirit that leads us into all truth:
But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets. No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. 1Corinthians 2: 10-12 (NLT)
We must pray for God to speak to us, through His Spirit that lives inside of us, as we read the Word. Go into the reading thinking to yourself what is God going to show me today? Read expectantly. Use other resources if you are stuck on a passage. Ask a spiritual leader in your life for help with a passage. Remember, there is no shame in asking but there is a lot of pride in not.
The second outcome is that the seed falls on the shallow soil. Jesus explains it this way:
The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word. Matthew 13: 20-21 (NLT)
We cannot be merely mountaintop Christians. Shouting hallelujah when everything is right in our world but then running away as soon as something comes against us. Perhaps one of the reasons you are feeling blocked when it comes to the Word of God is that your roots are not very deep. You are living a shallow Christianity. I have described this before as people who try to fit their Christianity into their lives instead of making Christ the center of their life. Maybe you would like to read the Word more but don't want people on the bus or in your office to know you're a Christian. You have plenty of religion but are lacking in relationship. God doesn't want religion with you; He wants you. In dating parlance, you are not allowed to see other people. In poker terms, you are "all in." You can read the Bible from an intellectual standpoint. You can enjoy the great stories, appreciate the beautiful poetry and even wonder in the awe of revelation but if you want God to talk to you through it; that requires deeper roots. That requires a serious relationship. Too much modern American Christianity avoids this but your Christianity should require something from you. We do not need "seeker friendly" churches we need God-seeking churches! Remember, God never promised we wouldn't have problems:
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." John 16: 33 (NLT)
Christianity is not a guarantee of a problem-free life. It is a guarantee to be able to overcome whatever problems you face in this life. The third outcome Jesus speaks about in this parable is the seed that falls amongst the thorns. He explains it as such:
