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What Does It Mean to Trust God? Maybe Not What You Think
Archdiocese of Washington ^ | 09-30-15 | Msgr. Charles Pope

Posted on 10/01/2015 7:39:56 AM PDT by Salvation

What Does It Mean to Trust God? Maybe Not What You Think.

September 30, 2015

blog9-30

We are often told to trust in God. And most of us have counseled others who are anxious or downcast to trust in God. But what does it mean?

In too many cases what people mean when they counsel trust is this: “Don’t worry, God will eventually give you what you’re looking for. Just keep praying and trust that He’ll come through for you.” What is meant by “coming through for you” is some answer on your terms; it’s as if to say, “God will eventually come around to your way of thinking. Hang in there and wait for God to answer (your way). He’ll take care of things (in a way that pleases you).”

But this is not trust.

To trust is to move to a stable conviction that whatever God decides to do is all right with me. Trusting God means being at peace with what He does, what He decides. To trust God is to accept that God often acts in paradoxical ways, in ways that are different from, or even contrary to, our notions of what is best. God often permits evils for some greater good, even if this greater good is hidden from us at this moment.

At the foot of the Cross we realize that a total disaster can produce immense good. We call that terrible day “Good Friday” for a reason. The apparent “total loss” of that day ushered in the New Covenant and made more than enough grace and mercy available to save the entire human race—if we but ask.

Many of us have experienced difficulties that were quite devastating to us at the time. In some cases we can look back now and understand why God permitted them. We can see how we grew from the experience, or how new opportunities were opened to us that, while they were not our first choice, were in fact the best choice.

Some other difficulties we went through still make little sense to us. But if we have learned to trust God, we can be at peace with His apparent “No” to our preferred outcome. Trust says, “It is well with my soul.”

An old hymn with that title says,

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul
.

And that is trust: the ability to say, “Whatever my lot, it is well with my soul.” It is not wrong to present our wants and wishes to God. But trust is being at peace with God’s answer and not resentful of it. Instead, trust says, “It is well.”

We are forever asking God to bless what we are doing. But when do we ever seek what God is blessing and then go do that?

Trusting God doesn’t mean that He’ll eventually give me what I want. Trusting God means I’ll be at peace with whatever He wants; knowing that He wants it is enough for me; there is peace and it is well with my soul.



TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; History; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; faith
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To: WVNan
No Mercedes, but maybe a Lamborgini.

I've been playing squash, the game, not the vegetable, with a woman who owns a Lamborgini. It's a pearl colored car and she took me for a ride in it some years ago.
NICE car.

I have a Smart Car and Mercedes DOES make it. It was hilarious, when I first bought it, to take it in for the usual check-up ... and park the lil one along side the $zillion$ Mercedes cars.

21 posted on 10/01/2015 8:42:51 AM PDT by cloudmountain
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To: daniel1212

Monsignor Pope to me, is a connoisseur of music. He has all kinds of music, Gospel, swing, hymns like this one, even Catholic ones.

It must be his hobby. I don’t hold it against him.


22 posted on 10/01/2015 8:46:16 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Churchillspirit

*8I always end my prayers with...”Thy will be done”.**

Good practice. Exactly what Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane.


23 posted on 10/01/2015 8:48:34 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: edwinland
Have you ever seen a Catholic hymnal? It’s full of hymns written by Protestants.

I understand. I was referring to those who do not (no Protestant song or hymn should ever be sung in a Catholic Church), or who (like Michael Vori) even think Amazing Grace should not be used. -

24 posted on 10/01/2015 8:59:13 AM PDT by daniel1212 (Turn to the Lord Jesus as a damned and destitute sinner+ trust Him to save you, then follow Him!)
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To: cloudmountain
Didn't most hymns find their source in monastic choirs? Read that on Google when I asked about the source of most Protestant hymns.

Something about the book of Psalms .

25 posted on 10/01/2015 9:02:07 AM PDT by daniel1212 (Turn to the Lord Jesus as a damned and destitute sinner+ trust Him to save you, then follow Him!)
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To: Salvation
Monsignor Pope to me, is a connoisseur of music. He has all kinds of music, Gospel, swing, hymns like this one, even Catholic ones. It must be his hobby. I don’t hold it against him.

As long as he does not sing the likes of Amazing Grace?

26 posted on 10/01/2015 9:03:27 AM PDT by daniel1212 (Turn to the Lord Jesus as a damned and destitute sinner+ trust Him to save you, then follow Him!)
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To: daniel1212
Didn't most hymns find their source in monastic choirs? Read that on Google when I asked about the source of most Protestant hymns.
Something about the book of Psalms
.

Makes sense. That could very well have been a source of inspiration for the monks.

27 posted on 10/01/2015 9:08:51 AM PDT by cloudmountain
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To: Salvation
Good post , thank you

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him. Hear diligently my speech, and my declaration with your ears. Behold now, I have ordered my cause; I know that I shall be justified.
Job, Catholic chapter thirteen, Protestant verses fifteen to eighteen,
as authorized, but not authored, by King James

28 posted on 10/01/2015 9:14:54 AM PDT by af_vet_1981 (The bus came by and I got on, That's when it all began.)
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To: daniel1212
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn published in 1779, with words written by the English poet and clergyman John Newton (1725–1807).

Newton wrote the words from personal experience. He grew up without any particular religious conviction, but his life's path was formed by a variety of twists and coincidences that were often put into motion by his recalcitrant insubordination. He was pressed (forced) into service in the Royal Navy, and after leaving the service, he became involved in the Atlantic slave trade. In 1748, a violent storm battered his vessel off the coast of County Donegal, Ireland, so severely that he called out to God for mercy, a moment that marked his spiritual conversion. Whilst his boat was being repaired in Lough Swilly, he wrote the first verse of his world famous song. He did however, continue his slave trading career until 1754 or 1755, when he ended his seafaring altogether and began studying Christian theology.

Ordained in the Church of England in 1764, Newton became curate of Olney, Buckinghamshire, where he began to write hymns with poet William Cowper. "Amazing Grace" was written to illustrate a sermon on New Year's Day of 1773. It is unknown if there was any music accompanying the verses; it may have simply been chanted by the congregation. It debuted in print in 1779 in Newton and Cowper's Olney Hymns but settled into relative obscurity in England. In the United States however, "Amazing Grace" was used extensively during the Second Great Awakening in the early 19th century. It has been associated with more than 20 melodies, but in 1835 it was joined to a tune named "New Britain" to which it is most frequently sung today.

With the message that forgiveness and redemption are possible regardless of sins committed and that the soul can be delivered from despair through the mercy of God, "Amazing Grace" is one of the most recognizable songs in the English-speaking world. Author Gilbert Chase writes that it is "without a doubt the most famous of all the folk hymns,"[1] and Jonathan Aitken, a Newton biographer, estimates that it is performed about 10 million times annually.[2] It has had particular influence in folk music, and has become an emblematic African American spiritual. Its universal message has been a significant factor in its crossover into secular music. "Amazing Grace" saw a resurgence in popularity in the U.S. during the 1960s and has been recorded thousands of times during and since the 20th century, occasionally appearing on popular music charts

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazing_Grace

"In 1748, a violent storm battered his vessel off the coast of County Donegal, Ireland, so severely that he called out to God for mercy, a moment that marked his spiritual conversion."

I hadn't known that he was in the slave business. He DID stay in the slave trade, so I guess his conversion was partial.
God heard his prayer for life and he was inspired to thank our good Lord in song.

I read and learned.

29 posted on 10/01/2015 9:17:52 AM PDT by cloudmountain
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To: Salvation

AMEN


30 posted on 10/01/2015 9:20:39 AM PDT by MEG33 (God Bless America And Our Troops)
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To: Salvation

It is well with my soul that thy will be done.


31 posted on 10/01/2015 9:30:15 AM PDT by Vision Thing ("Community Organizer" is a shorter way of saying "Commie Unity Organizer".)
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To: odawg

He writes nice basic biblical priciples for people that are Catholic who may not read the bible much.
He does a good job of that.


32 posted on 10/01/2015 9:47:41 AM PDT by right way right (May we remain sober over mere men, for God really is our one and only true hope.)
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To: Salvation

Trust GOD?

I’d rather trust Mary!!

http://americaneedsfatima.blogspot.com/2012/03/3-day-novena-to-our-lady-of-mount.html

—Catholic_Wannabe_Dude(Hail Mary!)


33 posted on 10/01/2015 10:59:59 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Salvation

Thank you for posting this. Happy Thursday!


34 posted on 10/01/2015 11:06:30 AM PDT by definitelynotaliberal (I believe it! He's alive! Sweet Jesus!)
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To: daniel1212
But the Msgr. is quoting a Protestant hymn! Where is the outrage from traditionalists who censure such us in their cultic defense of Mother Church?

I'm a Catholic, but I have to admit that Protestants have better hymns (at least those in English; we have some very good Latin hymns).

35 posted on 10/01/2015 1:04:18 PM PDT by JoeFromSidney ( book, RESISTANCE TO TYRANNY, available from Amazon)
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To: cloudmountain
I hadn't known that he was in the slave business. He DID stay in the slave trade, so I guess his conversion was partial. God heard his prayer for life and he was inspired to thank our good Lord in song.

His profession didn't condemn him rather his sins up till the time of the storm and his acceptance of Jesus Christ condemned him. Conversion occurs at the moment we accept Christ as Lord and Savior calling on HIS righteousness which He alone fulfilled for us {not our own righteousness} to save us. The conversion occurs instantly.

The finished product is a lifetime in the making as is the learning and changes it brings. An occurring change starts to happen at acceptance of Jesus Christ in which the time frames and extremes of speed can vary greatly in persons.

36 posted on 10/01/2015 2:40:09 PM PDT by cva66snipe ((Two Choices left for U.S. One Nation Under GOD or One Nation Under Judgment? Which one say ye?))
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To: cloudmountain
I hadn't known that he was in the slave business. He DID stay in the slave trade, so I guess his conversion was partial.

He should have left sooner, and popes should not have supported such either.

God heard his prayer for life and he was inspired to thank our good Lord in song.

Indeed, though some RCs think it should not be sung. And I have read that he actually worked to turn souls away from Christ in the years before his conversion, and went thru suffering that should have softened his heart.

37 posted on 10/01/2015 4:39:44 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Turn to the Lord Jesus as a damned and destitute sinner+ trust Him to save you, then follow Him!)
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To: Salvation

I believe that God know best!


38 posted on 10/01/2015 6:26:08 PM PDT by ADSUM
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To: JoeFromSidney
I'm a Catholic, but I have to admit that Protestants have better hymns (at least those in English; we have some very good Latin hymns).

I think that one thing among others that is distinctive about real Christianity is the prodigious amount and quality and type of its classic hymns, such as worship God and speak of the reality of Christ in the heart, and of Biblical themes. Which is a result not of religious indoctrination but of regeneration. Thus classic hymns (which stand in contrast to the fluff and inanity of so much contempt-ory music) and singing have histrionically abounded in evangelical faith, as has Scripture-based devotional works. Blind Fanny Crosby alone penned over 8,000 hymns and gospel songs. When i was a RC (lector and CCD teacher) the priest used to exhort us, "Sing like Protestants!"

39 posted on 10/01/2015 6:37:58 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Turn to the Lord Jesus as a damned and destitute sinner+ trust Him to save you, then follow Him!)
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To: cloudmountain
Makes sense. That could very well have been a source of inspiration for the monks.

And which as as much weight as the "we gave you the Bible-submit to us" polemical assertion.

40 posted on 10/01/2015 6:40:47 PM PDT by daniel1212 (Turn to the Lord Jesus as a damned and destitute sinner+ trust Him to save you, then follow Him!)
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