Devotional

Getting Rid of the Rock

"And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself."
- Luke 10:27

Have you ever gotten a rock in your shoe while you were out walking? Perhaps at first you thought, It’s just a little rock; it can’t hurt too much. I think I can put up with it. After all, it would be so inconvenient to stop here and shake it out. Maybe if I just move it out of the way a little…umm…I guess that’s better.
Or is it?
Even a little rock in your shoe hurts. Shifting it one way or another may help, but not for long. Soon you have to slow down. You begin to hobble along. Then, if you are smart, you will do what you should have done in the first place—get rid of it! A rock in your shoe, no matter how insignificant it may seem, can deter your progress. It can actually cause damage to your foot, and if you walk in an awkward manner to avoid putting pressure where the pebble is positioned, you can throw off your balance and cause stress and strain to other muscles.
In the same way, little “rocks” in our spiritual lives can deter our walk with God. Little things can hurt. Little things can throw us off balance. Little things can cause stress and strain to others around us.
Has God’s Spirit pointed out some areas in our lives that need improvement? Perhaps the rock in our spiritual life is a feeling of resentment toward someone. Maybe it is a reluctance to apologize, or a bit of self-will. Maybe it is a task God has set before us that we really do not want to do. All of these problems can be cured by loving God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. A love like that will urge us to obedience, and will eliminate resentment, self-centeredness, and a host of other negative characteristics.
Today, let’s check our shoes for any rocks. Little things come into every Christian’s life that could deter or even destroy us if they are not dealt with promptly. And there is only one safe and permanent remedy—get rid of them! As we yield to God’s Spirit and love Him with the love described in our focus verse, any rocks will be dislodged. How much better we will feel when they are gone!