The Soil We Plant In Matters

Matthew 13:23 "The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

When I purchased a house, I was excited to start gardening! The house I bought already had a garden bed wrapped around it, but I wanted to replant some flowers. I wanted to know more, so I decided to do some research. One of the things I learned was the soil has to have the right conditions in order to plant. Isn't this true for our spiritual lives? If we want God to plant in our hearts and produce good fruit, then we have to have the right conditions in our hearts.

Let's paraphrase Matthew 13:3-9, the parable of the farmer scattering seed.

A farmer went out to plant some seeds and he scattered them across his field.

Seed fell along a path, but birds came and ate it.

Seed fell on rocky places where there was shallow soil, but withered because they had no root.

Seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.

Seed fell on good soil where it produced a crop.

As we take time to read several verses later, Matthew 13:18-23, we learn a little more.

The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message but don't understand it, then the enemy comes and snatches it away.

The seed on rocky soil represents those who hear the message, receives with joy, but but because they didn't have deep roots, it didn't last.

The seed on amongst thorns represents those who hear the message, but allow worries of life to crowd them and no fruit is produced.

"The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Matthew 13:23

I think we all can identify with one of these seeds. We have to take time to tune our spiritual ears to hear what God is speaking through His Word. We cannot read the Bible at surface level, otherwise we will receive shallow answers. We have all heard the saying “verse a day to keep the devil away”. Quoting one verse didn’t draw back the enemy in the wilderness with Jesus. Jesus resisted the enemy by repeatedly quoting and understanding scripture. Be intentional with planting the Word of God in your hearts and using it as a weapon.

We have to build a solid foundation on His Word, trusting and believing everything God spoke, otherwise, we will be easily shaken. What we are rooted in can determine how we respond to life’s circumstances. If rooted in insecurity, we will lack the hope and confidence to move forward in what God calls us to. If rooted in negative thinking, we cannot proceed with faith. If rooted in fear, we will constantly shrink back.

But if rooted in Christ, it does not matter what our circumstances tell us, what reality shows us, we can move forward in the purposes and plans of God with faith, hope, and truth. Trust God at His Word.

We cannot allow worries to steal our faith and hope in God. We must hear the Word of God, but also believe it. The enemy will tempt us by causing us to worry about things out of our control. He will get us overthinking about circumstances that are troublesome. We begin questioning God’s ability to bring us to a breakthrough. Let me remind you that worry doesn’t add to our lives, it takes away. Best thing we can do is to release into the hands of God and completely trust Him, no matter what.

As we plant the Word of God in our hearts, let's do check what soil we are planting in. Let's ask God to help us cultivate good soil so He is able to produce Kingdom fruit in our lives.