Deeply rooted faith?

And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.

But he has no root and is short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. (Matthew 13:20-21)

The picture Jesus gives here is of a seed sown in a thin layer of soil over limestone. And because the limestone prevents the roots from growing deep, the plant quickly withers in the heat of the trials and persecution.

As I was reading, I thought about what that limestone was which kept the roots from growing deep.

Could it be the limestone of unbelief? Namely, doubt about God’s goodness and love toward us?

Some people hear about God’s love and goodness, and they’re immediately excited and joyous.

But then trials come. Persecution comes. And a deep-seeded doubt that lies beneath the surface of their hearts is revealed:

“Is God really good? Does God really love me? Then why are these bad things happening to me?”

The result? They quickly fall away.

How about you? When trials and persecutions come, is your first thought, “If God is good, if God really loves me, why is this happening to me?”

Or is your faith rooted deeply in your conviction of God’s love and goodness toward you?

How deep are your roots?