``Therefore I speak to them in parables because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. ``For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. Jesus answered them, ``To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. ``And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.Īnd the disciples came and said to Him, ``Why do You speak to them in parables?" ``Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. ``But when the sun had risen, they were scorched and because they had no root, they withered away. ``Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea.Īnd large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach.Īnd He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, ``Behold, the sower went out to sow Īnd as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, ``You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again."Īfter crying out and throwing him into terrible convulsions, it came out and the boy became so much like a corpse that most of them said, ``He is dead!"īut Jesus took him by the hand and raised him and he got up. Immediately the boy's father cried out and said, ``I do believe help my unbelief." But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!"Īnd Jesus said to him, `` `If You can?' All things are possible to him who believes." ``It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. When he saw Him, immediately the spirit threw him into a convulsion, and falling to the ground, he began rolling around and foaming at the mouth.Īnd He asked his father, ``How long has this been happening to him?" And he said, ``From childhood. "Īnd He answered them and said, ``O unbelieving generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him to Me!" I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it. And then ask Him to make your doubt into something beautiful for His kingdom-a flourishing of belief that wouldn’t otherwise have been possible, like a tree blooming after the winter.Īnd one of the crowd answered Him, ``Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute Īnd whenever it seizes him, it slams him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth and stiffens out. Be gentle with yourself and don’t force anything.Ī good place to start is simply to confess your thoughts and feelings to God as if to a caring friend. Instead of worrying about your thoughts, try accepting that they’re a normal part of the process of growing in Christ. We may not always be able to see how seasons of doubt factor into our journey with God, but that doesn’t mean those ripples and waves are without divine purpose. The Lord is kind, patient, and understanding-He knows our limitations and loves us without condition. What’s more, our struggles don’t upset the Lord, who remains by our side, even when we can’t sense His presence. For centuries, countless believers before us have struggled through the same thoughts and emotions. And when that happens, the experience of doubt can feel very isolating.īut even in those lonely moments or seasons when we’re questioning what we believe, we’re never alone. But on other occasions, it hits us like a crashing wave. Have you ever felt your faith in God waver? Sometimes a doubt passes through us like a ripple.
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