(Some of you may find this challenging, but I lovingly urge your to read the whole blog.)

If there’s one thing that Jesus guarantees us in this life it’s that at some point, no matter who you are, you are going to face hardships. (John 16:33). Being a Christian doesn’t make us immune to difficulties, in fact, it probably attracts them more as the enemy desperately wants to restrict our influence in this world. It seems that many believers have simply not prepared themselves to face hardships. I’m sure you know of those “fair weather” believers who, when everything is going well, are happy, enthusiastic, passionate, at church, involved, helping others, generous and stable. But when tough times hit and they face difficulties, challenges and hardships their world comes crashing down and they just seem to fall apart. Some end up disillusioned, despairing, losing their faith and even becoming bitter with God. The problem was, they just weren’t prepared properly to face hardships.

But there is a way to prepare ourselves to handle all of life’s tribulations and challenges and to remain steadfast and secure through them all, even coming out on the other side stronger and more fruitful!

The answer is very simple, develop deep roots. Do you know what I’m talking about?

In Mark 4 Jesus shares the parable of the sower of the seed (the Word) and the different soils that receive the seed. In particular He talks about the rocky soil that has no depth. Many immature believers are like the rocky soil that have no depth of the Word of God in their life, and are therefore living in a dangerous place that is very vulnerable.

Mark 4:5-6 (ESV) “Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.”

He then explains the meaning to His disciples:

Mark 4:16-17 “And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.”

Jesus then talks about the seed that falls on good soil:

Mark 4:8 “And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

He explains the meaning in verse 20:

“But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

Jesus makes a strong contrast here between an immature believer and a mature believer. Which one are you? Which one do you want to be?

The reason so many believers get so rocked when facing hardships is because they don’t have a depth of the Word of God in them. They have shallow roots that cause them to be scorched when the heat hits. We need to be more than just shallow “fair weather Christians” who are only passionate about serving God when everything is going well, but are unable to do the same during a difficult and challenging season.

Jesus is giving us a very simple secret here on how to develop depth and maturity so we can be faithful and fruitful no matter what season we’re in.

The secret?

Don’t wait until you are going through a hardship to begin sowing seed into your heart, spend time now sowing God’s Word into your heart so that by the time you hit a crisis there is a depth already there to be able to handle it.

Don’t be one of those Bible illiterate believers that get superficially excited about God on the outside but frizzell at the first sign of heat. Spend time now studying the Word and getting it into your heart. Yes it is a big book and can be hard to take in, but that’s why you need to have a plan and an approach now that can begin to develop roots that go down deep within you.

How do you go about sowing God’s Word into your heart?


Here are 5 simple things you can do:

1) Download an audio Bible.

It is so much easier to listen to large quantities of the Bible with an audio Bible than to try and read it. With an audio Bible you can listen while you’re traveling, working, shopping, laying in bed and so on. This is a great way to ingest large volumes of the Word and to get the big overview of the entire Bible. I recommend trying to listen to a whole book of the Bible in one sitting. It will help put the Bible in context for you which will start to help you understand it better.

2) Topical study.

In your own personal study time it helps to have a topic, a theme or a particular scripture of interest that you want to find out more about. Perhaps the Holy Spirit is laying something on your heart. Perhaps you want to prepare a sermon or a short devotional to share in a group. A topical study is a great way to study the Word. This could involve reading books as well that cover your topics of interest. It’s also good to use helpful study tools like Bible commentaries, Bible dictionaries, a concordance and different versions of the Bible. Most can be found online for free! This kind of study is when you are most stimulated to learn because you are interested in the topic.

3) Sit under the Word in church.

Every believer should be a part of a local church where you are being fed a good substantial meal on the Word of God at least once a week. Over the years this adds up to an incredible amount of the Word of God that gets sown into your heart, especially if you meditate on it or discuss it with others the week following.

4) Listen to teaching sermons through the week.

Find a great podcast or website that you can follow and regularly feed on. Imagine if you listen to just one other sermon each week. That’s 52 additional teachings you are receiving per year. That’s a lot of the Word of God going into your heart! Just make sure it’s good sound theology though. If you’re not sure, ask your pastor or a mature believer you can trust. All this builds up a great harvest in your heart. It may not seem like it at the time but it will produce fruit later on.

5) Bible college.

You might consider attending a Bible college or studying online. This is a more intensive and systematic way to get the Word of God into your heart. Again make sure it’s a good course by doing some research. This will take you out of that zone of being shallow and Bible illiterate and develop real depth and reservoir of the Word within you that you will be able to draw on so deeply when it’s needed.

Don’t leave it up to chance, make a plan today. Download an audio Bible right now and put it on your device. Get your Bible out and start reading. Find some good books, podcasts, video’s and Bible tools. Go to church on Sunday and feed on the Word and keep doing it.

If you want to transform your life this is how to do it!

Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a hunger for the Word, and to continually open your understanding so that the Bible comes alive to you and you become passionate about it!


Here are some resources that can help you: (but also do your own research).

Blessings and happy studying!

PS: my website is a great place to feed yourself on the Word of God. Watch my videos, listen to my audio sermons, ready my teaching articles and blog, and perhaps even consider getting some of my books to go deeper. Feel free to write to me with any questions as well and I’ll do my best to get back to you. God bless, Ryan.

Also: Don’t forget to get your free copy of my booklet “The Clear Message of Grace” simply by subscribing to our great monthly newsletter that’s packed with teachings. (SUBSCRIBE HERE)

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