The seed on rocky soil

The other day, M a new believer told me that she was thinking of giving up the faith because the person who had influenced her to become a Christian had failed her.

That had me thinking about Luke 8:13 "The seeds on the rocky soil represent those who hear the message and receive it with joy. But since they don't have deep roots, they believe for a while, then they fall away when they face temptation" M had received the gospel with joy. She shared testimonies of God's touch upon her life after each church service. During the second Sunday, she signed up for follow up class and on the third Sunday, she told me that she wanted to be baptized. So how did this confession of wanting to give up the faith came about?

I myself had this experience very early in my Christian walk. The first few months salvation experience were like honeymoon with the Lord. He was so real, His touch was so tangible and His word ministered to me daily. Then came one dark day, when all the wonderful feelings left me. I felt that God had deserted me. Suddenly He was not there anymore, He seemed to have hidden Himself behind a cloud. I felt abandoned and rejected by God. At that point in time, I doubted my salvation and the reality of God.

Then during a time of contemplative prayer, I saw what seemed like the vision of a giant eagle kicking out her young from the nest. The mother eagle watched her young one falling and falling...with one swoop she flew downwards and carried the young eagle on her wings back to the nest. One more time, she pushed the little one out of her nest...again and again she swooped down when the eaglet was falling midway. Then miraculously it happened, the young eagle suddenly unflapped her wings and began to discover that it could fly! I felt there and then that God was weaning me off feelings and teaching me that true faith is the unwavering trust in God no matter my feelings!

This, I discovered is the process of the testing of our faith! God allows it to enable us to build endurance and character. He stands from afar to see how we will respond to trial, testing and temptation. Like the children of Israel led out into the wilderness where they were tested with the lack of water, food and surrounded by their enemies, God sometimes watches and see what will come out of our mouth/what our attitude will be in the hardest of circumstances/situations.

Being a new Christian, my dear sister had not developed deep roots as yet. As for me I will do my part to buy her books for her to read, send scriptures to her on my mobile and prayed for her to be strong in the Lord. However eventually she would have to learn to flex the wings of faith that God had given her!