Trusting in God and Giving Him Praise, Even In Times of Trouble

“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. We have to remember that “God works with those who love Him…and will turn all to their good” (Romans 8:28) because “if God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). We need to trust in the Lord, and know that “there is a time for everything…and all will be done in God’s time” (Ecclesiastes 3). So often, we react too fast to situations. We fail to trust that God has a plan for us. Our imagination is taken over by the temptations of blowing up a situation to more than it perhaps is, or pretending it is something else. It’s like Dante’s Divine Comedy where Dante goes to Hell and sees the devil up to his waist in ice making a lot of noise. Actually, that’s what temptation is – a lot of noise made by the evil one. In actual fact, there isn’t really much he can do, but in our imagination, we blow it out of proportion because of the temptations and manipulations of the evil one.

However, it is out intellect and our will that is sacred and untouchable. These are what we can use to help make good decisions. However, we have a very human desire to be in control all the time, but actually, “sometimes it is better to wait in silence for God to save” (Lamentations 3:25) because it is not for us “to know (the) times or dates that the Father has decided by His own authority” (Acts 1:7).

Therefore, we should “commit (ourselves) to the Lord, trust in Him and He will act” (Psalm 37:5) because, as St. Paul writes, “Love is always patient and kind; love is never jealous; love is not boastful or conceited, it is never rude and never seeks its own advantage, it does not take offence or store up grievances. Love does not rejoice at wrong doing, but finds joy in the Truth” (1 Corinthians 13:4-6). God is love, and He loves us all as His own. In the first letter of St. John it is written, “everyone whose life is upright is a child of God” (1 John 2:29), so we must love all people as our own brothers and sisters, and as ourselves. Even “if the world hates you, you must realise that it hated me (Jesus) before it hated you. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you do not belong to the world, because my choice of you has drawn you out of the world, that is why the world hates you” (John 15:18-19). We are also told that “if they (the world) persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours too” (John 15:20).

So, we need to realize that living the Christian life is not easy. In fact, we are asked to live a life where our values are contrary to society’s values, where our moral standards must be higher than simply following the law set by the government. However, remember that suffering can lead to compassion if you allow it to. For example, if you went through a particular struggle, say domestic violence or mental illness, then one day in the future, you can use that to serve God by helping someone who is struggling with those things. You could be compassionate and help the person walk that part of their journey and persevere because you had been through it yourself. So, never underestimate the sufferings you have been asked to bear. Instead, unite them to the Cross of Jesus and use them for the good of others, for the glory of God.

So, in all things, remember to pray to the Lord and ask for His guidance. Trust in Him to take care of all your needs and intentions, in your joy and in your suffering. Praise Him always, and bless His holy name. “Therefore hold back nothing of yourselves, for yourselves, so that He who gives Himself totally to you, may receive you totally” (St. Francis of Assisi - Letter to the Entire Order 29).