Perseverance and Trust

Youngsters have become accustomed in school to engage in fire drills, and in some places earthquake drills. Yet who ever heard of end-time drills?

In the coming end times, persevering in loving trust will become critical, but also surprisingly difficult, especially in the anguish of the tribulation when God’s loving concern will seem to have disappeared. Almost lamentably, Jesus asks a poignant question: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Lk 18:8). Parables and other Scripture passages reaffirm the need for preparedness for the end times: “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rv 2:10); “You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised” (Heb 10:35, emphasis mine); “He who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Mt 10:22; 24:13, emphasis mine).

Yet what is the stabilizing factor that enables us to stand firm? It is the Trinitarian action described by Paul (2 Cor 1:21-22): “It is God who makes us . . . stand firm in Christ. . . . He anointed us . . . and put his Spirit in our hearts.” John reiterates Paul’s admonition to stand firm by means of this sacred inner anointing: “The anointing you received from him remains in you. . . . That anointing is real, not counterfeit . . . remain in him (1 Jn 2:27, emphasis mine).

From the earliest ages of the Church, that anointing or infilling of the Holy Spirit was recognized as the best assurance of perseverance against the evil spirit and in dangerous times--not unlike the times in which we live today. “Only fear the Lord, and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you” (1 Sm 12:24, emphasis mine).

Those who pridefully regard themselves as strong in their faith, without humbly pleading for the grace of perseverance, will find their faith--and hence their reliance on the Lord--failing in that critical time. In this regard, the words of Paul are sobering: “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith” (1 Cor 16:13, emphasis mine). “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Cor 10:12).

Yet “now is the time of God’s favor” (2 Cor 6:2); it is now, before the great tribulation, that we must cultivate a deeply formed habit (virtue) of trusting in “God’s favor”--that is, his continued supporting grace to undergird and sustain our efforts to persevere. Amidst the coming carnage of the end times, our hearts must be able to cry out confidently with Job, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Jb 13:15).

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 audio/visual materials can be purchased from Claretian Teaching Ministry, 20610 Manhattan Pl, #120, Torrance, CA 90501-1863. Phone 1-310-782-6408.