Devour and Digest
“We are not what we devour but what we digest.” – Unknown
In a time when we constantly consume content, information, and opinions, I can’t help but wonder: how much are we truly digesting and applying?
Paul faced the same challenge in his day. You can almost hear the weight in his voice when he wrote it.
“I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. So I urge you to imitate me.” – 1 Corinthians 4:14-16 NLT
Paul recognized that in a culture overflowing with voices, it was easy to miss the ones that mattered most. The same is true for us.
If I’m honest, I often move on from the very things God is trying to do in my life faster than He does. God isn’t interested in a quick fix. He’s about deep, lasting transformation. Too often, I get excited about a truth, think I’ve “got it,” and move on, only to find myself circling back later because I didn’t let it take root.
“Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.” – Matthew 13:5-6 NLT
In many ways, I’ve realized that I can be that shallow ground. God really does speak to me, but the pace of my life and the temptation to rush to the next thing often keep those truths from sinking in deeply.
If you’re like me and find yourself struggling to digest what God is doing, here are a few practices that are helping me in this season.
Limit the Chatter
Like the dog in the movie Up, I’m easily distracted by life’s “squirrels.” For me, that means reducing my time on social media and being more selective about what I read, watch, or listen to.
My personality is easily influenced, so I’ve been intentionally limiting outside voices in order to hear God more clearly.
God usually doesn’t shout. He simply waits for us to turn down the noise.
Slow Down
Digestion takes time. I used to be a quantity guy, consuming large amounts of information, mostly so I could teach it. Honestly, that came from insecurity. As a young pastor, I wanted to impress people with what I knew.
But what I’ve learned is that there were moments when God was showing me something for me, not for a sermon.
This year has been different. I’ve been stuck, in the best way, in John 15, Galatians 5, and Hebrews 12 for over six months. God is teaching me about fruit and the Spirit-filled life. I’ve known these verses in my head for years, but now God is slowing me down so it can take root in my heart.
Remember, I’ve grown up in this stuff. But even still, I can be shallow ground. I don’t want to just know truth. I want to treasure it.
My Heart Must Be Plowed
“I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’” – Hosea 10:12 NLT
To be good ground, we need tender hearts. When I started limiting the chatter and slowing down, I discovered that the real barrier to digestion wasn’t pace. It was the condition of my heart.
Life has a way of hardening us, not just toward God but toward others too. You can’t learn your way out of a hard heart. Only time in God’s presence can soften it. He wants to peel back the layers so we can receive what He’s sowing and actually digest it.
“We are not what we devour but what we digest.”
Whoever said that had a real understanding of both spiritual and physical health. Maybe that’s why the author is unknown. They were so spiritually healthy, they didn’t need credit.
So let’s not just consume truth. Let’s slow down, open our hearts, and let it take root, because only what we truly digest has the power to transform us.
In a time when we constantly consume content, information, and opinions, I can’t help but wonder: how much are we truly digesting and applying?
Paul faced the same challenge in his day. You can almost hear the weight in his voice when he wrote it.
“I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. So I urge you to imitate me.” – 1 Corinthians 4:14-16 NLT
Paul recognized that in a culture overflowing with voices, it was easy to miss the ones that mattered most. The same is true for us.
If I’m honest, I often move on from the very things God is trying to do in my life faster than He does. God isn’t interested in a quick fix. He’s about deep, lasting transformation. Too often, I get excited about a truth, think I’ve “got it,” and move on, only to find myself circling back later because I didn’t let it take root.
“Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.” – Matthew 13:5-6 NLT
In many ways, I’ve realized that I can be that shallow ground. God really does speak to me, but the pace of my life and the temptation to rush to the next thing often keep those truths from sinking in deeply.
If you’re like me and find yourself struggling to digest what God is doing, here are a few practices that are helping me in this season.
Limit the Chatter
Like the dog in the movie Up, I’m easily distracted by life’s “squirrels.” For me, that means reducing my time on social media and being more selective about what I read, watch, or listen to.
My personality is easily influenced, so I’ve been intentionally limiting outside voices in order to hear God more clearly.
God usually doesn’t shout. He simply waits for us to turn down the noise.
Slow Down
Digestion takes time. I used to be a quantity guy, consuming large amounts of information, mostly so I could teach it. Honestly, that came from insecurity. As a young pastor, I wanted to impress people with what I knew.
But what I’ve learned is that there were moments when God was showing me something for me, not for a sermon.
This year has been different. I’ve been stuck, in the best way, in John 15, Galatians 5, and Hebrews 12 for over six months. God is teaching me about fruit and the Spirit-filled life. I’ve known these verses in my head for years, but now God is slowing me down so it can take root in my heart.
Remember, I’ve grown up in this stuff. But even still, I can be shallow ground. I don’t want to just know truth. I want to treasure it.
My Heart Must Be Plowed
“I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’” – Hosea 10:12 NLT
To be good ground, we need tender hearts. When I started limiting the chatter and slowing down, I discovered that the real barrier to digestion wasn’t pace. It was the condition of my heart.
Life has a way of hardening us, not just toward God but toward others too. You can’t learn your way out of a hard heart. Only time in God’s presence can soften it. He wants to peel back the layers so we can receive what He’s sowing and actually digest it.
“We are not what we devour but what we digest.”
Whoever said that had a real understanding of both spiritual and physical health. Maybe that’s why the author is unknown. They were so spiritually healthy, they didn’t need credit.
So let’s not just consume truth. Let’s slow down, open our hearts, and let it take root, because only what we truly digest has the power to transform us.
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2 Comments
This was so good! I appreciate how you break down scripture and bring insight to help it just make sense. Limiting the chatter has been something I have been working on for a while and it’s amazing how I hear God when I turn down the noise of the world.
nThe unknown author quote is so good and so true and your last sentence speaks volumes…thank you again for sharing & giving us strategies to improve our walk.
n
nLove this: So let’s not just consume truth. Let’s slow down, open our hearts, and let it take root, because only what we truly digest has the power to transform us.
n
What a great reflection. Well written. Gave me some great points to reflect on to day.