3rd Sunday of Advent 13.12.20 Wanting too much
and too little
In some ways people want too much from God and in some ways too little. We need to correct both imbalances.
Wanting too much from God can be that we look on Him as a wonder-worker whose job it is to tidy up around us, solve all our problems, make everything come right – at the same time excusing ourselves from any part of the process. It is God's job to fix everything, in this view.
And if things are not fixed as we like, then we might complain to Him or about Him.
We are wanting too much, wanting to have power over God, that He will obey us rather than the other way round.
He does want us to ask for his help but in a respectful way, giving him the right to decide what is best.
And we need a non-grudging acceptance of whatever He decides.
Wanting too much is in evidence when people say why they do not believe in God, or do not go to church, or distrust religion etc. God does not measure up to what they think He should be.
Wanting too little means stopping too soon in our expectations of what God is really doing for us.
Here also the problem stems from making too much of the visible material world, and not enough of the spiritual world.
God wants to give us much more than we ask for, but not in terms of earthly goals, like money, success, or power - but qualities like wisdom, humility, kindness, love of one’s neighbour.
It is not so easy to be excited about these things. If you heard that today you will become more humble, for example, that may not sound very exciting. If you hear you are going to win the lottery, that sounds much more interesting.
We have a way of getting things the wrong way round.
We need to adjust what we want to match what God wants for us.
We say it so many times: Thy will be done.
To achieve the right balance we need to go to God first, and become more familiar with the sort of things He wants. Then we will have more understanding of how to ask Him for material matters.
We will be humbler and more balanced in what we ask for, and we will have more understanding of the complexities of each case.
For all that we still are encouraged to ask for what we need. Let your petitions be made known to God (Ph 4,6).
Seek first the Kingdom and all else will be given to you (Mt 6,33). Seek the spiritual and the material will fall into place.
We will not be worried because we are more firmly anchored in the right relationship with God.
No one is worried in heaven. There they still see the need for prayer, but they are so aware of God, it is impossible for them to lose confidence in Him, or the peace that goes with that.
Sometimes God grants a prayer straight away, and there is an end of the matter.
Other times He will take the longer way round, and expect some input from us (for our ongoing formation).
In these cases He is training us, teaching us to be His disciples, how to love through sacrifice and difficulty.
It is a privilege that God trusts us enough to involve us in the process.
What power we would let loose if enough people could simply let God be the boss.
We do not want too much or too little, but exactly what God wants us to have, and to do.
Lord, help us not be so obstructive, as we usually are!
No comments:
Post a Comment