Problems and Trust

Even oldsters may have forgotten that there was once a popular TV program called, “Father Knows Best.” The phrase is schmaltzy, perhaps, but there’s a profound truth in these simple words when they refer to our heavenly Father, who always knows best. Our challenge is to let ourselves be really convinced of that verity. A loving, concerned parent will cause a tiny child to cry by taking away the sharp knife or matches with which he’s playing, though the child can’t see the reason for being thus deprived. It was the parent’s love that brought about the child’s frustration, but that love is not obvious to the child. If we could see our problem situations as God sees them, we would answer our own prayers as God sometimes does, with a loving “no.”

Since we can’t see things as God does, even though we may acknowledge that his wisdom is far superior to ours, we still must decide whether or not we will submit to his wise plan. If we do submit, we may do so reluctantly if our faith is anemic; or, if we are more mature, we may submit joyfully. Yet even joyful submission is not full-fledged trust. As tribulation continues, we may try to justify ourselves: “I cry out to you, O God, but you do not answer. . . . You turn on me ruthlessly” (Jb 30:21). If, like Job, we fail to see and appreciate God’s love behind the permitted hardship, we may succeed in submission but fail in authentic trust. That very awareness of God’s love in permitting our suffering isn’t a self-activated insight; it results only from humble prayer asking God to show us his love in our pain.

Eliphaz showed Job, as the Lord also did later, that the very questioning of God’s plan shows both pride and a lack of faith. Job finally humbled himself in his anguish, and with God’s special revelation he reached beyond submission to complete trust. It might have been easier for him if he had had access to Jeremiah’s revelation: “Though the Lord brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief” (Lam 3:33, emphasis mine). If we keep this in mind it is easier to use trust as the handle by which we take hold of God’s promises and apply them to our daily problems.

Ultimately our biggest difficulty is dealing with problems problematically. That is, we seek solutions to our problems more earnestly than we seek the divine problem-solver himself. This is a basic failure in trust that bespeaks an anemic spiritual life; its result is that often our petitions are rendered ineffective. Yet, ever patient as he is, the Lord waits for us to “seek his face” (Ps 105:4) sincerely and earnestly, so that he can open to us the cornucopia of his beneficence. He will display it here on earth as a tempting glimpse and foretaste of the lavish menu planned for us in his heavenly banquet.

This excerpt is from the book Pathways of Trust, by John H. Hampsch,C.M.F., originally published by Servant Publications. It and other of Fr. Hampsch's books and tapes can be purchased from Claretian Teaching Ministry, 20610 Manhattan Pl, #120, Torrance, CA 90501-1863. Phone 1-310-782-6408.