Learning to trust can be a very difficult thing in many ways, no matter what the situation is we are facing in our life. One of the most joyous and peaceful feelings comes when we let go and trust that God truly cares for each of us, every man, woman and child.
How do we get to that point of total trust? Quite honestly, Jesus gave us the example to lay down our life. Now there is only one savior, so we don’t need to worry about that. But, we have to do our part in the best way we can in our state of life. If a person is wealthy with material goods or money, life may seem easy. However, it becomes difficult to get to that blind level of trust because the attachment to worldly things captures our hearts and minds, leading us to trust more in tangible things we can see and feel.
Trusting God, the divine being, that we cannot see and feel in the way we do worldly things is extremely difficult and can make us feel like we are falling through the sky with no place to land safely in site. I know this myself very painfully so. What I realized one day was money is not eternal, and once that last dollar is spent, there is no more unless I go earn it some how. This is not the case with God.
I do not have to earn God, because I am the created by the creator. He already is there and was there before I was born. He will be there when I pass away and beyond. So if that is the case, why would I worry about trusting him? I think today’s first reading in the Liturgy of the Hours Divine Office readings below says it perfectly.
From the first letter of the apostle Paul to Timothy
6:11-21
The final exhortation
But you, man of God, avoid all this. Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses.
I charge you before God, who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus, who gave testimony under Pontius Pilate for the noble confession, to keep the commandment without stain or reproach until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ that the blessed and only ruler will make manifest at the proper time, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, and whom no human being has seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
Tell the rich in the present age not to be proud and not to rely on so uncertain a thing as wealth but rather on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, ready to share, thus accumulating as treasure a good foundation for the future, so as to win the life that is true life.
O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid profane babbling and the absurdities of so-called knowledge. By professing it, some people have deviated from the faith. Grace be with all of you.
As I read the readings this morning using the ibreviary APP, I felt that spiritual movement, gently move in fully capturing my attention and speaking directly to my heart. I have struggled with many things and like many, I labor to keep finances in a positive standing, especially right now. I have experienced periods in my life that seem full of better financial standing and some that are not very scary to walk through. It happens to everyone at some time in some way.
I found that when I count on the money and material things of this life, I find emptiness because they are finite and really have no life in them. Sure they provide a short term satisfaction in joy, but it is not lasting and does not stay for very long.
When I work hard to let go, and accept that invitation from the Lord to trust him, I find freedom like none other. It has no boundaries and can move mountains I never thought could be moved. It allows me to detach from this world and ascend to a heavenly life while still here on Earth, that promises will have no pain, no sorrow, etc,… that is worth living for trying to gain that promised land of eternal joy.
This is the reason our Lord allows us to experience desolation at times in our lives. We have to detach in order to ascend, because if we don’t we stay tethered to things of this world that will not allow us to ascend because we choose not to let go of them. In reality we are choosing to be tethered to the world rather than God. Desolation in itself Is not a good thing, but desolation in God’s hands moves mountains so that we may ascend towards that joyful promised land.
Are you tethered to something holding you back? Pray about it and listen to that inner whisper that I so small and quiet even your own thoughts could make you miss. Ask the Lord to show you how to listen to his voice. He is speaking to us all day long. He is the shepherd we ant to listen to and none other.
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