--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes the soul is questioning whether…" description: "\"“Sometimes the soul is questioning whether it [has] any patience, any faith, till God comes and puts him into an afflicted estate, where he must exerci..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99d/william-gurnall-2262_christianity_sometimes-the-soul-is-questioning-whethe_1343498.jpg" --- # Sometimes the soul is questioning whether it \[has\] any… ![“Sometimes the soul is questioning whether it [has] any patience, any faith, till God comes and puts him into an afflicted estate, where he must exercise this faith or perish. Then it [the soul] appears like one that thinks he cannot swim, yet being thrown into the river, then uniting all his…” quote by William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99d/william-gurnall-2262_christianity_sometimes-the-soul-is-questioning-whethe_1343498.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99d/william-gurnall-2262_christianity_sometimes-the-soul-is-questioning-whethe_1343498.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99d/william-gurnall-2262_christianity_sometimes-the-soul-is-questioning-whethe_1343498.jpg) > ““Sometimes the soul is questioning whether it \[has\] any patience, any faith, till God comes and puts him into an afflicted estate, where he must exercise this faith or perish. Then it \[the soul\] appears like one that thinks he cannot swim, yet being thrown into the river, then uniting all his strength, he makes a shift to swim to land, and sees what he can do. How \[often\] have we heard Christians say, 'I thought I could never have endured such a pain, trusted God in such a straight! But now God \[has\] taught me what he can do for me, what he wrought in me.”” [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith is tested through suffering; hardship forces reliance on God and reveals inner strength. **In simple terms:** Suffering tests and strengthens faith. Key Takeaway Trust God during trials to grow spiritually. Themes faith suffering trust spiritual growth Mood contemplative hopeful Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - personal crises - spiritual retreats - mental health challenges Key Concepts theology psychology resilience Questions to Reflect On - What trials have deepened your faith? - How do you respond when faith feels weak? A Different Perspective Suffering may not always lead to growth; some may break. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [“What said those two souls communicating through the language of the eyes, more perfect than that of the lips, the language given to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/what-said-those-two-souls-communicating-through-the-language-of-the/) [José Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [I was extremely timid and to be made to feel that I was not wanted, although in a place where I had every right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ossawa-tanner/i-was-extremely-timid-and-to-be-made-to-feel-that-i-was-not-wanted/) [Henry Ossawa Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ossawa-tanner/) > [Patience and faith in your goals can help you to achieve what you desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/patience-and-faith-in-your-goals-can-help-you-to-achieve-what-you/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Never give up on anything that you believe is for you. Trust in God, Have patience and faith as everything happens at right time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/never-give-up-on-anything-that-you-believe-is-for-you-trust-in-god/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [Patience to faith is like the head to the body. The person who has no patience has not faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/patience-to-faith-is-like-the-head-to-the-body-the-person-who-has-no/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [“Maybe that's why life is so precious. No rewind or fast forward...just patience and faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-marrero/maybe-that-s-why-life-is-so-precious-no-rewind-or-fast-forward-just/) [Cristina Marrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-marrero/) > [“Never give up on walking right. Something you have to remember is that God’s fulfilled promises take patience and faith! 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It takes a little patience and faith, but it's worth the wait...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-has-a-perfect-timing-never-early-never-late-it-takes-a-little/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How can you lay claim to faith, when you have no patience at all. Surely you must have heard the saying of the prophet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abdul-qadir-gilani/how-can-you-lay-claim-to-faith-when-you-have-no-patience-at-all/) [Abdul-Qadir Gilani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abdul-qadir-gilani/) > [Patience and faith are two powerful thing that can help us in overcoming any difficulties in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/patience-and-faith-are-two-powerful-thing-that-can-help-us-in/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) ## More by William Gurnall > [“The more the soul loves the word, the more craving it has after it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/the-more-the-soul-loves-the-word-the-more-craving-it-has-after-it/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [“Labour to get Christ, and through him hopes of heaven, and thou takest the right road to content; thou”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/labour-to-get-christ-and-through-him-hopes-of-heaven-and-thou-takest/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [The chains of love are stronger than the chains of fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/the-chains-of-love-are-stronger-than-the-chains-of-fear/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [Compare not thyself with those that have less than thyself, but look on those that have far exceeded thee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/compare-not-thyself-with-those-that-have-less-than-thyself-but-look/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [“All error dreads the light of the word, and fears more to be examined by that, than a thief does to be tried before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/all-error-dreads-the-light-of-the-word-and-fears-more-to-be-examined/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [It is the saint's duty, and should be their care, not only to believe that God is Almighty, but also to strongly believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/it-is-the-saint-s-duty-and-should-be-their-care-not-only-to-believe/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [Oh, it is sad for a poor Christian to stand at the door of the promise, in the dark night of affliction, afraid to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/oh-it-is-sad-for-a-poor-christian-to-stand-at-the-door-of-the-promise/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [“That he who means to be a Christian indeed, must endeavour to maintain the power of holiness and righteousness in his life and conversation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurnall/that-he-who-means-to-be-a-christian-indeed-must-endeavour-to-maintain/) [William Gurnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurnall/) > [“Meditate of Christ’s coming to judgment. 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