We want
things to go our way. There are
things we want. There are
situations in which we hope to
prevail. Sometimes we can
arrange to make that happen.
Sometimes other people suffer
for it. Sometimes they benefit
because our vision is actually
quite good.
But
sometimes our way is not God’s
way. We may not agree with
God’s way. We may think God is
making a mistake. We may think
our ideas are better and that
God should listen to us.
But God
has a plan. It is a mysterious
plan. It is a plan
incomprehensible to humans. And
sometimes God’s plan is not our
plan.
“Cursed
is the one who trusts in human
beings, who seeks strength in
flesh,” God says through the
prophet Jeremiah. Trust in
anything that is not divine,
and you will be a barren bush
in the desert, standing in a
lava waste, salt and empty
earth.. It won’t be pretty.
But if
we trust in God, we are
blessed. We are like trees
planted beside waters with
roots stretching to the stream.
Our leaves will stay green, and
we will bear fruit even in
drought.
But it
may mean giving up the things
we want and accepting what God
wants.
Written
by Paul Turner. Liturgy
Training Publications.
Copyright 2003, Archdiocese of
Chicago
