Listening, Living, and Loving

"The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom news but are overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get. The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it. (Mark 4:18)

Let’s admit it, there’s a lot to worry about. Seemingly everyday there is more and more to do and less time to do it properly. There’s no time for consideration or reflection… only reaction. Such reaction living creates stress… a lot of stress. And stress over the long term becomes distress that weakens our ability to sleep, to think, to concentrate and leads to depression.

There’s a lot of distress and depression these days. So much so that many can’t hear the Good News of the Gospel… only apprehension.

That’s where listening, living, and loving comes into play. We all need to be heard, especially when we are hurting. We all need to see Christ lived out before us in others. And we all need to be loved and to love. Listening to others, living the words in the Bible, and loving others is the Christian medicine against stress and depression. A medicine that will help and heal and prayerfully lead a way out of the weeds to the peace and comfort found in Christ.