David Yarbrough
Matthew 13:6
And since they had no roots, they withered away.
Just as you don't have any say in where or to whom you are born, neither do you have any say in where God plants you in His Kingdom. Many people struggle with envy as they look at where others have been planted, wishing they would have been planted in that particular spot. Believing that if they could have had those other circumstances, their spiritual growth would have been more abundant. If you ever think this, be careful; this is a dangerous deception. Your heavenly Father is the Gardner, and He is tending to you with purposeful care, arranging everything for your optimal spiritual growth. The struggle you face is that, from your perspective, it is hard to recognize His careful cultivation of your spiritual life in real time. You may be able to look back in hindsight and see how God was working for your spiritual growth, but it is difficult in the moment to see how God is working in your life.
Your daily objective in seeking first the Kingdom of God is to abide. This is not a one time event that sets the trajectory for the rest of your life; it's an everyday, in-the-moment discipline. Abiding in Christ is all about keeping your Kingdom identity, position, and focus. This is not a casual stroll through the park. This takes intense spiritual discipline and consistency. Entering the presence of God is not the difficult aspect of this; it's staying, dwelling, and abiding in His presence that proves to be the battle.
When you choose to abide, you're making a cognitive effort to separate yourself from the temptations of this world and your fleshly desires. It's up to you to make the decision to root your life deeply in the Kingdom of God. This requires constant nurturing, regular nourishment from the Word of God, and consistent prayer, bringing your life under the downpour of the Holy Spirit and the warm, life giving light of the Son of God.
To grow where you're planted is going to require dogged grit on your behalf. It's not just a passive acceptance of what God has done; it's an active discipline to learn and experience His love. We see this in Ephesians 3:17–19 (CSB), “and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Dear reader, you must remember that your spiritual location is not something you get to choose; it is determined by your heavenly Father (John 15:1). But your spiritual growth and the fruit you bear are all contingent on how you abide and allow the power of the Holy Spirit to flow through you. This is going to require consistent abiding, trust, and obedience to God's Kingdom purpose (John 15:5).
I encourage you today to embrace this place where God has planted you and choose to abide in Him, take root in this location, and grow deeply in His love and grace. Allow His life giving word to fertilize your heart and the water of the Holy Spirit to stir your soul as you soak in the warm light of the Son of God. When you do this, you will not only survive, but you will thrive in your Kingdom purpose right in the spot where God planted you.
Psalm 1:3 (CSB)
He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.