8th Sunday after Pentecost 10.7.16 Trust
It can be difficult for us to trust in God on the one hand, while taking the blows of life on the other.
At the weaker end of faith, we are tempted, when we have a misfortune to take it as a betrayal on God’s part; to think that He has left us high and dry.
He might have helped before, we say, but not this time. This is a feeling we can have many times, even if we have seen past crises resolve themselves.
We apologise to God for doubting Him, but we might still do it the next time!
We know, deep down, that God has not abandoned us. We know that He is absolutely reliable, and this reliability does not depend on the last thing that happened, whether it was good or bad for us.
He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13,8). He does not have good days or bad days (as we do).
He never forgets who He is, or what he is doing; never gets confused; never has to deal with conflicting thoughts, as we do.
We have to rework our minds to take this in, because it is so different from our normal experience of human nature.
People can let each other down all the time, so we can think that God is the same as the rest of us; when in fact He is a great deal better and stronger than the rest of us.
We can also survey the future in a similar negative light. We can think of all sorts of thing that can go wrong.
This is not how it is supposed to work.
As disciples of Christ we are supposed to be of very strong faith; where even in a dungeon awaiting execution we are absolutely convinced of God's existence, goodness, and reliability; of the need to serve Him - and that not grudgingly, but in a spirit of praise, love, and thanksgiving.
Everything that happens is an expression of God’s will, either directly what He wills, or at least permits.
Feelings of doubt are just a distraction, a waste of time and energy, when we could be getting on with better things.
With Him and me working on the problem, especially Him (!) we will sort out whatever the problem is.
If we have this attitude we are far more likely to stay calm in a crisis; to inspire others to a similar level of faith; and to get a favourable outcome in the matter that concerns us.
So this is what we should be like, but how do we reach such a state?
It all comes from God. He will give us the required level of faith if we show enough interest; if we make clear that we are willing to receive it.
God will see if we are serious or not; and help us to become serious if not yet.
We ask His pardon for not getting further before this. In His mercy He gives us always a new moment to begin, or resume, our quest of faith.
We hold firm. We don’t stop going to Mass, praying, receiving sacraments, just because something goes wrong; even if it is the worst thing that has ever happened to us.
We dig in deep. We shall not be moved. We will not be fair-weather disciples.
Eventually it will be only sunshine, but for now we have to survive a few storms. We still have to see off the enemy.
What is good reminds us of the eternal goodness of God. What is bad reminds us of what has to be overcome. The good is permanent, the bad is temporary.
We have to drill ourselves in this so we know it as part of us, like being able to speak a language, or count to ten.
We just know these things to be so.
We know it but we let our emotions get in the way. May the Lord give us faith which goes beyond emotions. This faith is available on request.
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