One more excerpt from the SFO formation preparation materials from last weekend:
“Whenever we face the issue of trust in God, fear is not far away. We want to trust God. We want to believe in God’s love and compassion for us. But we wonder if God will really come through. Will God be there when I need help? Will God actually answer my prayers?”
I have to assert here that I do not suffer from these fears.
I have complete and utter confidence in God’s love and compassion for me. He’s already come through in a way that I can never repay.
I gaze at the Cross, and it removes my ability to doubt Him. He was willing to endure the Crucifixion for me. How could it be even remotely possible that at this time, He will fail me?
I also understand my own limitations, my own inability to always correctly judge what is best for me.
If I fear anything, I fear my ability to grasp His response. Or more precisely, I fear my ability to let go of my preconceptions, to let go of what I think I need, in favor of embracing what He offers me as the true answer to my prayers.
In other words, I fear my ability to let go of everything I hold in favor of embracing every grace He wishes to give me.
Yes, there’s that “everything” word again.
I am reminded of the Garth Brooks song, “Unanswered Prayers”.
Just the other night a hometown football game
My wife and I ran into my old high school flame
And as I introduced them the past came back to me
And I couldn’t help but think of the way things used to be
She was the one that I’d wanted for all times
And each night I’d spend prayin’ that God would make her mine
And if he’d only grant me this wish I wished back then
I’d never ask for anything again
Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you’re talkin’ to the man upstairs
That just because he doesn’t answer doesn’t mean he don’t care
Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers
She wasn’t quite the angel that I remembered in my dreams
And I could tell that time had changed me
In her eyes too it seemed
We tried to talk about the old days
There wasn’t much we could recall
I guess the Lord knows what he’s doin’ after all
And as she walked away and I looked at my wife
And then and there I thanked the good Lord
For the gifts in my life
Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers
Remember when you’re talkin’ to the man upstairs
That just because he may not answer doesn’t mean he don’t care
Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers
Some of God’s greatest gifts are all too often unanswered…
Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers