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Class today
#1
In my Bible class today my teacher gave us all a envelope and told us to write down the name of somebody we really and truly hate and I put down the name of this one person who used to be mean to my mom since probably he is the only person I hate but I don't really hate him neither.
Then he said to us to beat up the envelope. Dodgy We could slap it and punch it and stomp on it and crinkle it up and do whatever we wanted except we couldn't rip it or open up the envelope. It was kind of funny doing that in class.
Then when we all beat up our envelopes he told us to open our envelope up carefully so we did and you know what was in the envelope? A picture of Jesus.
I think mostly it made all of us think since it got really kind of quiet.
Sort of a good lesson right?

The question for our journal this week is what do you do when you feel like your faith is weak? I don't know how to answer that so maybe somebody here will have some ideas I hope.
Junior Girl - Age 14
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#2
It would depend on why your faith is weak. It might be an idea to ask why and whether the reasons for doubting are truly reasonable. Are you perhaps expecting something from God He never promised to grant? If it comes to doubting the truth of the faith some apologetic materials giving some good reasons for believing the Christian faith to be true might be helpful.
Supply Teacher/Teaching Assistant
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"The quality of mercy is not straind.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath" (Portia to Shylock).
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#3
No reason was given other than people run hot and cold in most things and even in how they believe. Something that got said is to keep acting how you do when you believe strong and then faith will catch up with you. I don't know if I think that makes any sense at all. It does seem like it would make more sense to do how you said and figure out the how come of it all.
Junior Girl - Age 14
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#4
I really don't know. As I said above, it really depends upon what you're talking about. There are examples in the Bible of course of people being tested in their faith and it is always worth looking to them for inspiration. If you are talking about emotional reasons for doubt then maybe the advice about carrying on and allowing faith to catch up might work. If it is a more intellectual/factual issue, then reading some apologetics and studying the issue that's bothering you in more depth would be the way to go.
Supply Teacher/Teaching Assistant
[Image: wURKrjG.jpg]

"The quality of mercy is not straind.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath" (Portia to Shylock).
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#5
Hey Rosie, this is a really cool topic. I don't usually share too much about my faith, but I felt like ur journal topic kinda spoke to me. I've had a really hard year just like emotionally and I couldnt understand why this pandemic was given to the world and I kept questioning things. Like Ive had times before where I questioned my faith, but IDK, something in my over this summer felt really off. I spoke to my mom about it and she said something similar -- act as if. Meaning, act as if you still had the full power of your faith even if you don't feel it, and it will come back. So I started paying more attention in Church and writing in my journal about things and ya know what? It worked!! I believe today more strongly than ever before. Part of it was i found it hard to accept that I don't know His plan. i kind of think about it like a parent shepperding a child; the child may not understand the parent's plan or why they do something, but it is always for a purpose. When i was able to internalize that i found that my faith was stronger than even before I felt tested. idk, just thought id share.
SARAH
Junior Alumna, (22)
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#6
Sarah, so much wisdom in your response.

Rosie, I like the idea of self reflection and then going on as if your faith is as strong as it has ever been.

For me, I find my faith can waiver when I don't agree with what I think God's plan might be. I have a lot in common with Jonah and sometimes I need a whale to set me back on the proper path. I do believe we are called to be faithful even when we are tested. It is easy to have faith when it feels good but we are called to have faith even when it is uncomfortable and God seems so far away.

I really like your teacher's envelope activity for your class. I had a little gasp when I read what you found in your envelope. Isn't our challenge as Christians to find Christ in everyone?
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#7
That is a really interesting exercise...
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#8
(11-17-2020, 07:21 PM)Sarah Wrote: Hey Rosie, this is a really cool topic. I don't usually share too much about my faith, but I felt like ur journal topic kinda spoke to me. I've had a really hard year just like emotionally and I couldnt understand why this pandemic was given to the world and I kept questioning things. Like Ive had times before where I questioned my faith, but IDK, something in my over this summer felt really off. I spoke to my mom about it and she said something similar -- act as if. Meaning, act as if you still had the full power of your faith even if you don't feel it, and it will come back. So I started paying more attention in Church and writing in my journal about things and ya know what? It worked!! I believe today more strongly than ever before. Part of it was i found it hard to accept that I don't know His plan. i kind of think about it like a parent shepperding a child; the child may not understand the parent's plan or why they do something, but it is always for a purpose. When i was able to internalize that i found that my faith was stronger than even before I felt tested. idk, just thought id share.

Great response. Shy
Speak up more often.

There are lots of times in life when we don't understand our parents and that can create distance....and other less desirable feelings....on my side of the equation...so it does only make sense that we would experience some of those feelings with our side of the relationship we have with God our Father.

When I have doubts and feel like God is looking in the wrong direction...aka not at me....I like to remember that even Jesus felt abandoned at one point. Jesus came to make God more relatable to our human brains so that time on the cross when he cried out to God "why have you abandoned me" lets us know it won't be smooth sailing.
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#9
(11-17-2020, 07:21 PM)Sarah Wrote: Hey Rosie, this is a really cool topic. I don't usually share too much about my faith, but I felt like ur journal topic kinda spoke to me. I've had a really hard year just like emotionally and I couldnt understand why this pandemic was given to the world and I kept questioning things. Like Ive had times before where I questioned my faith, but IDK, something in my over this summer felt really off. I spoke to my mom about it and she said something similar -- act as if. Meaning, act as if you still had the full power of your faith even if you don't feel it, and it will come back. So I started paying more attention in Church and writing in my journal about things and ya know what? It worked!! I believe today more strongly than ever before. Part of it was i found it hard to accept that I don't know His plan. i kind of think about it like a parent shepperding a child; the child may not understand the parent's plan or why they do something, but it is always for a purpose. When i was able to internalize that i found that my faith was stronger than even before I felt tested. idk, just thought id share.

I like this so much you know. I am trying to act as if because I lost something inside of me that wanted to believe and I hope it will maybe come back. I don't know. I'm a little bit new to this but it helps that people like you who got stronger and longer faith have had times when they had to act as if to.
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#10
As if. I like that.
It's hard to figure out where the heck God is during this pandemic. My dad's friend died. He was sick but doing well and then in less than a day it got worst and he was dead. He was a really good person and a lot of people counted on him. It's hard to see God in that.
As if.
I will act as if I believe God knows what is best in all of this mess.
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— Addy
Junior Member (14)

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