HOW?

HOW?

Whenever I write about trusting in God, which looking back I apparently do a lot, often readers write and say, “But it’s so hard!”  Forgive me if I have made it seem like it is easy.  I pull from own experience of faith for these comments and perhaps I have never said how difficult it was to reach a point of absolute trust in God.  Believe me I know how hard it is. 

The first step is getting to know God better.  I was raised in the crime and punishment era of faith and thought when you wanted something from God you had to pray and do penance over and over again, but it was still a turkey shoot whether you would get what you wanted.  I was not aware of the infinite goodness of God.  I was as wary of God as any indentured servant is of their master, waiting for the blows to fall when I erred.  I never, ever, thought of God as a companion. 

Once I prayed and prayed that my new husband would not be drafted.  He was. When he left to report I cried all day.  Then about 5pm he called and said he had been rejected because he had flat feet and varicose veins.  It wasn’t right away, but shortly thereafter, I thought of my pleading with God and realized I prayed to God as though He did not know me.  I also began to understand not only did I not know everything, I didn’t know anything, especially about God. I didn’t know my husband had those issues, but God did.

God sees the big picture.  That lesson has to be learned over and over before it actually sinks in.  Jesus said it himself, “Your Father knows what you need, before you ask.”  (Matt 6:8) I wish I had been taught that in the first grade.  Notice Jesus says what you need, not what you want.  He is subtle that way. 

We want to control everything.  We can’t let go of the feeling that we are right and we just need to convince God of it, so sure are we that we know what’s best. Acknowledging the primacy of God is the second step in building trust. 

In the Muppet’s Christmas Carol, the Spirit of Christmas Present is a huge, beautiful, smiling and glowing figure that spreads his arms wide and calls to Scrooge in a powerful voice,

“COME IN AND KNOW ME BETTER, MAN!”

There are many beautiful passages in Scripture where God reveals his love and all but pleads for us to come in and know him better. He calls us down through the ages to know Him, to love Him, and to trust Him.

If I take the wings of dawn and dwell beyond the sea,

Even there your hand guides me, your right hand holds me fast.” (PS 139:9)

Words to live by.

Carol Lemelin OPA