TRUST ME

     “Do you believe that I am the Son of God? And do you believe that I died for all men and women and that I rose from the dead? Then why do you continue to be distracted and anxious about your loved ones? Do they not also belong to me? Would I refuse to work in their lives just as I work in yours? I have not put you in charge of saving them. Your task is to love, to forgive, to pray for them and to turn them over to Me. Come closer to Me yourself and I will do the rest. TRUST  Me!"                      Author Unknown

     As I entered our adoration chapel, I saw a dear friend. We hadn’t seen one another for a little while because she’d been away, visiting family. No one but Jesus was in the chapel, so I bent down to give her a long overdue hug and welcomed her back.

     I sat next to her, and she asked me about my cares and concerns. When she was away, I had texted her, to ask for prayers: I was experiencing spiritual suffering. She is a mighty intercessor, and I knew her prayers would make a difference. Although I was uniting my suffering for my special concerns with Jesus, it was still very difficult. 

     So many people have drifted from the Church. It is a suffering unlike any other. It is something never expected in life’s experience. At different times of the year, it is harder than others: Christmas, Easter, special holy days that come and go without any acknowledgement on their part of the God who loves them so, holds them all in their very existence…and is the true reason for our celebration in the first place.

     Although there is deep assurance and certainty that God WILL answer this prayer intention, discouraging and disheartened thoughts abound. KNOWING we are praying for what IS God’s will should bring comfort, but our timing and His are obviously much different. He assures us in holy scripture: “My sheep hear my voice…I give them eternal life, and they will never perish” John 10:27-28.

     My friend declared that when we pray, to praise God with the realization that it IS going to happen. She said to have the holy audacity that St. Therese had with God and not to allow our negative feelings or impatience to rule us. If we feel ourselves discouraged, we are to remind ourselves that what we want, God wants even more that we do. Receive our sufferings as a gift from God and rejoice that He would allow us to assist Him in this mighty work.

     As she spoke, a memory was sparked of speaking with a woman who was heartsick because her children were away from the Church. I reminded her that as mothers, we had to experience suffering in labor to give physical birth to our children. As they grow, we get to unite our suffering with Jesus’, as we labor with Him to give spiritual life to them. This truly IS a privilege, and we must always remember it WILL eventually bear fruit.

     In the wintertime, when everything is stark and looks quite dead, much is happening that we are unable to see. It is often the way God works with us. 

     It is quite rare that someone has an instant conversion. It is usually seed, upon seed, upon seed that is planted, deep within their souls. God uses different people to water it, fertilize it and do whatever is necessary. Each conversion story has its twists and turns and is unique as each of God’s children. This all takes time. 

     Waiting is difficult. We are so used to things being done at our good pleasure. It appears as though God is trying to remind us that we all have a journey. He IS accompanying each of us. We did not always follow His lead, or His way. We too made detours and mistakes. There were lessons and experiences that we all had to undergo to get to the place where we are now…and we haven’t arrived ourselves. There are still so many ways we need to be pruned and purified to become the woman or man God has called us to be from all eternity. God is patient with us. We must be patient with God, His timing, His ways, and trust. He IS working in our lives and in the lives of those we love.

     Rather than looking at ourselves and our pain, let us instead, look at the broken heart of our good God! He is the one suffering so! The trillions who have denied, rejected, ridiculed, forgotten and who knows what else, they have done to Him? Our suffering is miniscule to God’s.

    Let us remember the parable of the prodigal son, and spend time with Papa, looking out on the road for all those who need to return to Him. Let us sit with Him and soothe His heart with loving words. Let us try to make up for all of those who have forgotten Him by offering up our sufferings and sacrifices to bring ALL of God’s children back to Him. May we remember, He sent His Son Jesus, for this very purpose, so we all could be one and be united with Him in heaven. 

     Spend time with our dear sweet Jesus. Stand at the foot of His cross with Our Lady, St. John, St. Mary Magdalen and the holy women. Comfort Him. Offer Him your love and consolation. Offer your tears and sorrow as a gift to make up for all those who do not know Him, ignore Him or are just too busy to even think about Him. Ask Jesus to send His Holy Spirit to enlighten them to the truth of what He did for them...may they KNOW they are in need of a Savior...and may they come to love Him with all their hearts!

     Let us give Father, Son and Holy Spirit, our love, our hearts and most of all, our trust, knowing God WILL bring back all those who have strayed. 

     “The Lord God says, ‘I Myself will be their Shepherd. I will search for my sheep and take care of them. If a shepherd is with his sheep when they begin to wander away, he will go searching for them. In the same way I will search for My sheep. I will save them and bring them back from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day.”             Ezekiel 34: 11-13