But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles (Matthew 13:20-21, NKJV).
When I hear so much talk about ADD and ADHD these days, I smile. I had an ADHD child “back in the day,” before such a diagnosis was common knowledge. By the time my youngest son was born, the condition was just beginning to be recognized, and the moment I read about it I knew I had two boys with ADHD.
What does that mean? ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder—what my dad used to refer to as “ants in your pants.” Children with ADHD can scarcely sit still for any length of time and have a terrible time focusing without being distracted by the first shiny object that happens along. It made studying and learning for my boys a real challenge, let me tell you! But a challenge does NOT mean impossible. With a lot of extra effort and prayer, we found ways to make it happen. A diagnosis of ADHD does not have to amount to a label of defeat.
The same is true in our spiritual lives. Some of us find it easier than others to apply ourselves to reading and studying Scripture, to praying and witnessing and ministering. But spiritual growth is available to each of us if we’re willing to apply ourselves and not be distracted by every “shiny” thing comes along.
Jesus talked about this issue in the famous Parable of the Sower, explaining how the sower sowed seeds on all sorts of ground—the road, rocky places, thorns, good soil. These ground conditions parallel our heart conditions and our willingness to receive and cultivate the seed of God’s Word. Any of us can become spiritually “ADHD” with all the distractions going on around us, but each of us can also CHOOSE to stay focused and allow God’s word to take deep root in our heart. It is the only way we can become spiritually mature and begin to effectively impact the lives of others.
In Psalm 46:10 God admonishes us to “Be still and know that I am God.” The word “know” in that verse implies intimate, life-producing knowledge and relationship. If we want that sort of relationship with God, we need to “be still” and make sure we don’t have spiritual “ants in our pants” or get distracted by the shiny temptations of this world.
It can be done, with determination and discipline, remembering that God stands ready to help us if we will just ask.
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Copyright 2009-2013 Kathi Macias, all rights reserved. Used by permission.Kathi Macias is a multi-award winning writer who has authored 30 books.
“Beyond Me. Living a You-first Life in a Me-first World”
“Mothers of the Bible Speak to Mothers of Today”
No Greater Love, More than ConquerorsThe author can be reached at: http://www.kathimacias.com