Trusting That the Lord Is Guiding Us

Dom Augustin Guillerand wrote a reflection that was featured today in the Magnificat subscription for February. 

It is within the scope of God’s plan that we should come up against evil in this world, and have to fight a way for ourselves through it. Our Lord could have captivated
the minds and hearts of the whole world by a single sermon, but he did not. Alone, with a few faithful disciples, he lived in the midst of constant hostility. It is so in the whole history of humanity…. We have only to recall the divine words: Your ways are not my ways (Is 55:8), and those of Saint Paul: O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God, how unsearchable his ways (Rom 11:33). We must face reality, and not live in an unreal world, not even in an ideal world of our own imagining, which we build up with our poor and unsubstantial dreams.

We make a great act of adoration and submission when we recognize the absolute sovereignty of God in all that happens. Only such a thought can enable us to put up with the numberless abuses which surround us—in ourselves and others, in the Church and in the world at large. On the practical plane, do not rush your decisions, lest you spoil God’s plan by substituting your own way of looking at things for his. If, on any particular point, circumstances indicate a change which would seem to be advisable and is feasible, act on it; but if for various reasons you are unable to carry it out, even though it appears to you to be desirable, then submit to the divineplan…. Wait for God’s hour.

God’s patience is more than we shall ever understand. He could break the resistance of all evildoers, and make all evil cease in an instant, but he does not. Adjust, then, your pace to his…. Following Our Lord’s example, we should remain steadfast in God, and regard everything as part of his plan…. He was obedient unto death, even to death on the cross (Phil 2:8). We must not be surprised if, while the cross lasts, we experience no feeling of elevation or consolation; that, on the contrary, we are often in capable of raising up our spirits or of thinking of the good effects which will follow later. More often than not, all we can do at the moment is to accept and offer up our distress to our Lord.