Day 21 - Crawl Out From Under the Weight

A Weightless Devotional

“The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing.” —Matthew 13:22

Have you ever felt choked by worldly cares? Are you so caught up in your stuff, your appearances, your health, or your politics that it feels like you're gasping for air—not only drifting away from God's Word but suffocating under the weight of worry, which is inconsistent with His promises?

In the parable of the sower, Jesus describes the seed sown among thorns as those of us who hear the word of God but are so weighed down and overwhelmed by worldly cares and the allure of wealth that His word is snuffed out. These distractions choke the Word, making it—and us—unfruitful. While a lot of worldly concerns are legitimate and necessary, when they become overwhelming, they distract you from the presence of God, causing you to act like He’s not even in the room.

When word of God produces nothing in you or through you, it’s time to crawl out from under the weight of your worldly concerns. You have an amazing gift that is yours to be enjoyed, shared, and reveled in. Why waste your precious time worrying about the things of this world, when you could be enjoying the God who created it all? The Westminster Catechism reminds us that we were created to enjoy God and to glorify Him forever. Are you truly enjoying your God? Because when you are, everything else falls into place. Jesus explains in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” When you shift your focus from the temporary to the eternal, from the material to the spiritual, and you trust Him to take care of your needs, instead of being consumed by the sheer vastness of them, anxiety becomes an unnecessary reaction to life.