One of the hardest things to grasp in the Christian walk when you are excited and pursuing God with great diligence, is the lukewarm attitudes of so many others. I didn’t really appreciate the parable Jesus tells of the four soils until I started to get discouraged by the people I meet at church sometimes.

I realize now that the world is full of distractions and challenges that take our energy and effort away from the spiritual life…and that it is a blessing to be young and have more time than responsibilities, like I was, when you start following Jesus. That time and flexibility allow a lot of spiritual growth to occur that the average adult does not have.

Take advantage of your free time if you have it. Invest it well, and pursue God passionately.

And make sure you use every ounce of time you can make available if you don’t. Sacrificing hobbies, getting up an hour earlier, and even reducing expenses or income by changing your job or possessions are worthwhile sacrifices if you use that extra time to grow spiritually.