Farmers periodically take samples of their ground and have them tested. If your spiritual ground was tested now, would you be:

• an infertile footpath? (Mt 13:4)
• infertile rocky ground? (Mt 13:5)
• fertile but unfruitful ground overgrown with thorns? (Mt 13:7)
• fertile, fruitful ground bearing a 30-fold harvest? (Mt 13:8)
• fertile, fruitful ground bearing a 60-fold harvest? (Mt 13:8)
• fertile, fruitful ground bearing a 100-fold harvest? (Mt 13:8)

When a farmer finds from testing that his soil is deficient, he does not ignore this information but takes measures to improve the condition of his ground. This should also be true spiritually. If you are an infertile footpath or rocky ground, repent and go to Confession as soon as possible. If you are fertile but unfruitful, ask the Holy Spirit to convict you of your thorny compromise with the ways of the world (Jn 16:8). If you want to increase from a 30-fold harvest to 60-fold or 100-fold, you need community life and daily Bible study.

In good ground, you can grow almost anything worth growing. In bad ground, you can hardly grow anything. The condition of the ground is critical. Recognize the condition of your ground and improve it.