Be Stouthearted and Wait

     “When uncertain about God’s will, it is very important that we tell ourselves: Even if there are aspects of God’s will that escape me, there are always others that I know for sure and can invest in without any risk, knowing that this investment always pays dividends: these certainties include fulfilling the duties of our state in life and practicing the essential points of every Christian vocation. There is a defect here that needs to be recognized and avoided: finding ourselves in darkness about God’s will on an important question . . . we spend so much time searching and doubting or getting discouraged, that we neglect things that are God’s will for us every day, like being faithful to prayer, maintaining trust in God, loving people around us here and now. Lacking the answers about the future, we should prepare to receive them by living today to the full.” Fr. Jacques Phillipe


     There are times in our lives when we flounder. We believe that God is calling us to do something: sometimes a very specific task, while other times something totally unknown to us. We begin to doubt and become impatient and restless because the opportunity has not yet presented itself, or our questions appear unanswered. We make the judgment that it should have happened within a certain amount of time, and when it hasn’t, we question both ourselves and God. “Was this just my imagination, or was it really You God?”


     Salvation history is full of times of waiting: Times when God called His people to trust and to grow in faith and other virtues, as they waited to fulfill a task or experience His promise.

     Abraham is a perfect example! He was asked to leave his home, take his family and belongings and go off to a far away country. He is told by God that He will become the father of many. He and his wife are well past the childbearing age, and at times, they do doubt. But God was true to His promise -- many years later!

     Waiting is difficult! We want so much to know, what to do and when to do it. We want a map with everything laid out for us, or a fax, text or email from God would be most welcomed! But God does not operate in that way. He is calling us into a relationship with Him, and relationships are built on love and trust. We cannot grow in trust without having periods of darkness that call us to surrender to our God who is love.

     What do we do as we wait? What do we do when things are not apparent and certain aspects of God’s will are uncertain? Fr. Jacques is clear: we move in the ways that we know are God’s will for us. Therefore, we do not give up our time of prayer, even though we are tempted to do so. In fact, it is essential that we cling to God in those times of uncertainty and even increase our times of communing with Him. God will lead us and guide us, but not necessarily in the space of time or in the way that we have in mind. He is asking us to trust that He will reveal what we need to know, when we need to know it!

     We then, need to be patient and, to the best of our ability, carry out the tasks of our vocation. We have to ignore the taunt of the evil one who is trying his best to discourage us and pull us from doing God’s will. We have to stop spinning our wheels by using our uncertainty as an excuse to neglect our duties. God will bless us with grace and patience as we take the next step that He places before us. It is in our primary vocation where we grow most in holiness and our present doubt has not changed that fact. God is using this very situation to mold and shape us into the person with the strengths and virtues to carry out the specific thing He wants us to do. We have to cooperate with His timing as difficult as it is.

     This could mean: being delighted with a friend’s good news when you are still waiting for your own; smiling hello when you really want to walk in the other direction; saying yes to someone when you’d rather be doing something else; carrying out all of your duties, even though you wished you could just forget them and many other examples. By doing this, we are assured of receiving heavenly dividends from God. Dividends poured down upon us with bountiful gifts. Our God has not forgotten us or forsaken us. He is calling us into a deeper relationship with Him by asking us to love, trust and surrender, as we prepare to receive our answer by living today to the full!

     “Wait for the Lord with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord” (Ps 27 vs 14).