The Church would be a mighty, powerhouse in human affairs today if only its members had faithfully followed through with what they knew God wanted them to do. Many Christians start out well. An emotional worship service . . . a profound quiet time . . . an inspiring book or Christian movie, and we resolve to live our life differently in the coming days.
But then of course, life happens. We get busy. Pressures mount. Before long those well-intentioned commitments seem unreasonable or at best, inconvenient. And we slide right back into the ordinary dissatisfying living we were experiencing before.
The veteran apostle urged Timothy to recall not only what he had learned, but how convinced he had been of its truthfulness, and who it was who taught him. We must avoid becoming like the thorny soil into which the sower cast seed. At first the seeds took root and a plant leapt forth. But the cares and worries of life soon crowded out the best of intentions, and the result was that the word of God failed to produce any lasting fruit.
Reflect on what God has been teaching you lately. Recall how certain you were at the time of the value and truth of what you had learned. Remember those who were the divine instruments to convey those truths to your life. Have you followed through? Are you seeing the fruit that results from persevering with God’s word?