1 Corinthians 3:1-2 "Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it."
We all know that when a new baby is born it is incapable of digesting anything but milk for the first several months. After about 4 or 5 months the parents slowly begin to introduce very small amounts of soft foods primarily to get the infant used to the eating process. As they grow, they begin to eat bits and pieces of more solid food but only if their digestive system will tolerate it. In 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 Paul was likening the spiritually immature to a baby who can only digest milk. He was not doubting the Corinthian's conversions but he was letting them know how frustrated he was that they had not grown in their faith and were still tip toeing, if you will, in the elementary truths he had shared with them in the past. These believers in Jesus Christ were not putting forth the effort to chew on and ruminate on the truths they were being taught and they definitely weren't applying them. Undoubtedly the people were embarrassed but Paul felt that his admonishment was necessary to spur them on to greater spiritual depths. I wonder how often we fall into that same category?
I think of our spiritual life as that of an onion. God gives us what He thinks we can handle at the time and when we've understood the truths we've been given and have applied them, He peels back that layer and gives us more to grasp. When our attitude and efforts become lackadaisical and slothful then our spiritual growth stops, no more layers are taken away and we don't grow in our faith. God will not take us to greater depths of understanding if we don't have the basic principles down of what He has been trying to teach us because any further teaching would be unappreciated, misunderstood and not used.
Let's make every effort to not only read and hear God's Word but to think on it, ruminate on it and apply it to every aspect of our lives! He wants to strengthen our spiritual lives and take us to a greater understanding of who He is and what He desires from us!
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Dear Lord,
We get so drawn into what is happening around us that we don't truly focus on You at times. Forgive us when we hear or read your Word but do not listen or heed what you are trying to impress on us! Help us to turn our eyes on You and intentional listen even if it means taking notes so we can go back over Your message to us so as to learn what You are trying to teach us. May Your election and direction mean so much to us that we hang on Your every Word and when we don't, please get our attention. Your Word is a lamp unto our feet, a light unto our path and makes all the difference in our lives!
In Jesus Name,
Amen
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