AN ARTICLE FROM OUR SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE SERIES By the late Father Kilian McGowan, C.P.
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There are two areas especially where lack of conviction imperils your peace of mind. The first is when you lack conviction concerning God's personal love and interest in you; and the second is when you fail to believe that He effectively wills your happiness. For everything that will ever happen to you proceeds from the infinite power and wisdom of God and is directed to your happiness.
Do you believe those basic truths? If you don't you'll never enjoy true peace until you do. For the peace that this world cannot give-the peace that surpasses all understanding-only comes when you begin to cooperate with God's loving will. This kind of generous devotedness to His Will is practically impossible without these two basic convictions.
One of our biggest troubles in life is that we really don't know what is good for us. And what is worse, we are sure that we do! We make up our own plans for life and then we pray to God to stamp His approval on our self-written formula for happiness. He is consulted after the project has been laid out, and then only asked to guarantee its success!!
Obviously, this is wisdom gone haywire! The reverse should be true, for God has already drawn up the plan for our life. He now awaits our help in their accomplishment. And be sure of this...He knows what He is doing, and you can't improve on His plans. Knowing the deepest desires of your human heart, He alone can lead to their perfect fulfillment.
At times, it does seem hard to believe that God knows what He is doing in His handling of our lives. When we suffer from the malice of others...or loved ones fashion a cross of intense pain or sorrow...or when the burden of fear or anxiety seems overwhelming, it takes a great faith to accept His design as a loving one. But He does know what He is doing, and He is in control of the situation!
There's not sufficient room here to explain in detail how each must cooperate with God's plan of life as revealed in the daily course of events, but let us say that God doesn't want us to act like robots. By abandonment we mean not only a cheerful submission to what is demanded of us, not only a joyful embracing of His Will-but also an intelligent, determined and generous performance of whatever He asks us.
If you're not quite sure of just what God does expect of you, the principle is to make your own judgment, go ahead and act on it, and leave the rest to Him. Not a few people expect God to send a special message for each little crisis in life. God usually doesn't act that way towards the creatures He endowed with intelligence and free will. Do your best and He'll handle the consequences.
If you have done your best in your responsibilities to yourself, your family, and your vocation, and seem to have failed, you must remember that the outcome is the business of God. Needless worry can be a sign of lack of confidence in God. Some things in life are simply beyond your control, and these are in the providence of God.
A great deal of worry arises from the fact that we overestimate the importance of own actions. Having done our best, the ultimate outcome must be left in the hands of God. Should you worry about something that is beyond your power to control or change?
If your life is a partnership with God-and it truly is-aren't we going to rely on Him to supply for our shortcomings? And if we find ourselves lacking in many needed things, let us remember Saint Paul's words: "Our sufficiency is from God!"
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Love and Blessings, Wendy C.
"Healing Mind, Body & Soul"
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Guidance by our friend the late Fr. Kilian McGowan. Head over here for a life changing experience...our gift!