So what do we do with our "fallow ground"?
Jeremiah was telling the people to break up the hardness of their hearts. Josiah had tried to turn the people back to God but they continued to worship their idols in secret...hardened hearts! Jeremiah told the people they needed to REMOVE the sin before God's word could take hold!
So, how do we remove the sin? We pray. We fast. We abstain. It doesn't happen over night. The longer your "habit" has been in place, the longer it will take to change it. It's a battle of the mind. Continue reprogramming until it becomes the habit. We aren't going to discuss smoking because we all know that I've tried and failed numerous times. We'll go with something a little simpler...breakfast...
Most people eat breakfast. I am not a breakfast person. I do (or rather did) not eat until lunch time. I survived on a gallon of coffee. Not a great way to start the day (and no, I will not blame Folger's, even though they are the best part of waking up). I began small. I started with Carnation Instant Breakfast. It has nutrients and sustained me a little better than just the coffee. After awhile, I added a banana. So now I have my coffee, my milk and a banana. The next step (which will begin next week) will be cereal. It may sound trivial, but it works with everything.
Removing sin from your life is not something you can do all at once. It's the effort you put forth. You don't get it right all the time or every time. And more often than not, in the beginning, it requires a concentrated effort. Sometimes I have to literally FORCE myself. The end result is worth it.
God knows we aren't perfect and will never be. God knows we will sin until we take our last breath. That's why he sent us Jesus! But without the effort, without the WANT to rid ourselves of what He hates, we continue to be like those who worshiped their idols in secret. Ask Jesus to guide your steps, to hold your hand (or drag you by your feet, if necessary). His love for you is real! Let Him show you the plan God has for you!!!
