Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"
Recently, a poster makes its viral way around Facebook, picked up and shared by countless members.
It reads: Man says, "Show me, and I'll trust you." God says, "Trust me, and I'll show you."
Isn't that the most simple, yet absolute, truth?
As much as we hate to admit it, there are times we put God to the test. We want a sign from Him. A guarantee.
Or, worse, we bargain with Him. Lord, if you'll just do _____________, I promise to ______________. (You fill in the blanks.)
Instead of going to Him humbly and thankfully in prayer, trusting Him first and foremost.
Exclusively.
Not as the disciple, Thomas, who had to see to believe. Had to place his finger in the wounds of the risen Christ before declaring, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28)
Or, like the Pharisees and Sadduces who demand that Jesus give them a sign. Show proof of who He is. Who He thinks He is.
Jesus, never one to mince words, puts them promptly in their place: "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign!" (Matthew 12:39)
And, in today's Gospel, the Lord reminds us that to put God to the test shows pride, not humility. Our will, not His will.
That's not how it works.
For what seems right to man is of this world.
As Christians, we may live in the world. But, we are not of it.
And, we are called to place all our trust in God.
~
Are you trusting in the Lord with all your heart?
Will you pray with me?
We come before You today, Father, with contrite and humble hearts. Please forgive us the times we put our wills before Yours; the time we put You to the test. May we place all our faith and trust in You and Your will for our lives. Amen.
Readings
Psalms 37:1-18 or 37:19-40
Exodus 20:1-21
Colossians 1:24-2:7
Matthew 4:1-11
To answer your question 100% honestly, No I am not.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, RoseAnn!
DeleteI appreciate your honesty. I was in your shoes for many, many years. It has been a long journey for me in learning to let go and let God.
Blessings to you!
Trust comes easily when the road is smooth, but when troubles come, that is when we lose our focus. Looking back over my life it is easy to see how faithful God has been, but hindsight is 20/20. I'm constantly praying to see the invisible—believe without the evidence in place.
ReplyDeleteGood morning Martha. Thank you for another thought provoking post my faithful sister.
Love!
Thanks so much for visiting today, Leah!
DeleteFor me, too, it's in the looking back, seeing how far He has brought me, the way He has changed my heart and my focus, that allows me to trust in Him. Even when the ride got rough, He was there.
Blessings to you!
(Ordered Cosette's Tribe yesterday!) :)
I am yet again amazed by how something you have written touches upon an article i'm writing at the moment. I think alas human nature is to doubt, and have an instrinsic mistrusting of anything. Only when theyt learn to trust do they see both happiness and success truly enter their lives. I believe in the fact that what we expect is what we get. So i suppose its having faith, and good things will happen.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for visiting, Larry!
DeleteWow, coincidence that we are touching on similar subjects? I don't think so! :)
And, yes, it's sad when people don't trust or feel, because of something that has happened, they can't. Because, as you noted, when we trust, it is only then we can be truly happy and successful.
Blessings to you!
Yes, trusting God is an issue that goes back to the Garden of Eden. I admit that more often that not I trust myself rather than God to get things done and my life moving.
ReplyDeleteThis is a good reminder to yield every moment of our lives to God. When we start thinking of God being in charge of everything then that change in perspective makes us see how beautiful our lives are despite the trials and problems we have. We start seeing things with joy and gratitude rather than as grumpy folks who see the glass as half-empty all the time.
Thanks for this!
Best regards,
Mary
Hi, Mary, so glad you dropped by today!
DeleteYou are so right! When we drop the balls we're trying to juggle and let God handle them for us, so much just falls into place, doesn't it? And, seeing all things with joy and gratitude is the best way to live.
Blessings to you!
I have to admit there are many times I have been a doubting Thomas..requesting God to prove to me that he is here.... in the good times I know he is there and can say thankful prayers..but in the storms it is oh so hard to have faith and not question...As always....XOXOXOXO
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by, Bonnie!
DeleteI think most of us have been Thomas at some point in our lives; I know I have!
And, it is so hard when the storms come to keep that faith, but if we trust Him ("I believe, Lord, help my unbelief"), we can feel Him pulling us through.
Blessings to you!
Martha, girl you are anointed. I wonder if you truly know how many people you are helping with this blog. I find great value here and I know others do too. Thank you so much. :-)
ReplyDeleteOh, Tameka, thank you so much for your generous compliment and for taking the time to stop by today.
DeleteI do hope, with all my heart, that I am reaching many for the Lord. It's what He's entrusted me to do and I am trying to faithfully serve Him.
Blessings to you!
What a wonderful ministry you have here. Now following.
ReplyDeleteSo happy to see you here, Galen! Thanks for stopping by and glad to know you will be a follower of the blog.
DeleteBlessings to you!
Hi Martha:
ReplyDeleteReminiscent of one of my ALL time FAVORITE quotes by Saint Thomas Aquinas:
“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”
Blessed as I am I count myself among the first group.
--
Chris
Thanks so much for stopping by today, Chris!
DeleteOh, yes, that is an awesome quote! Just perfectly matched to this post.
I, too, am glad both of us are in that first group. :)
Blessings to you!
Ooh Martha, your post is speaking directly to my heart! I am so so guilty of "Show me and I'll trust you" and of bargaining. I've had so much difficulty trusting other people because I need to have evidence first that they are "good" people. But I am learning now to open up more. Because I find it difficult to have faith in God if I cannot even develop trust to man, who was made in His image. I also bargain. A LOT. It is so much about my will, and not His. These are some things that I need to change about myself.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much again for your beautiful reflection, Martha. Your words help me become a better person in God's eyes. God bless! <3 :-)
Thanks so much for stopping by, Irene!
DeleteI'm so glad to know that you are opening up more and being aware of putting God's will before your own. It isn't easy, but it is so necessary for spiritual growth. Otherwise, we remain spiritual children, stomping our feet and whining until we get our way. :)
So happy, too, that you found today's post inspirational.
Blessings to you!
I'm in a difficult place to answer your question...but I think this is a well written and meaningful peace. Glad I stopped by. :)
ReplyDeleteMy dear Jessica, you are trusting more than you know . . .
DeleteThank you for stopping by and leaving your kind comment.
Blessings to you!
Recently during mass, our priest told the congregation to cut "doubting Thomas some slack." And he challenged us with this very same question. That kind of trust is so difficult - yet, something to which we should all really aspire.
ReplyDeleteI'm not there yet. But I'm trying.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Maureen!
DeleteI'm glad your priest did that! All of us have some of Doubting Thomas within us - and it does take us time to truly trust. I know that was true for me.
The best part of the Thomas story is that, after he completely trusted, he traveled as far as India spreading the Gospel. Some of the churches he established are still there today - 2,000 years later. Imagine that!
Blessings to you!
The signs of God's presence are all around us..yet at times we keep our eyes shut to it.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, Corinne, so many people do. Ironically, it's when we take our eyes off ourselves and focus on Him that we truly begin to see Him working in our lives and noticing every little miracle.
DeleteThanks so much for stopping by today!
Blessings always!
There are times, when I'm in cloud 9 and I think that it'll never end. I'm cushioned in clouds, surrounded by bright colors because I feel the Lord very near. But there are also times when I feel distracted, my eyes focused on other things and I feel the Lord, just sitting beside me looking at me.
ReplyDeleteOn both occasions, I know that the Lord is here...but the feelings are contrasting. My spiritual guide taught us spiritual consolations and desolations... and in them, to put my trust in God and discern with the help of the Holy Spirit.
It's not easy for me to trust...sometimes, I could't wait on God to put in His answer so I rely on my own strength. But it is in these situations that God allows me to feel His deep love.
I always think back of our reflections on Christ's victory.
God is always here, there...until the end. I pray with you.
Oh, Melissa, you describe these spiritual feelings perfectly here! Sometimes, we are dancing right in step with Him and other times we feel like the wallflower sitting alone and wondering where He is. I love your spiritual director's description of "spiritual consolation and desolation" - sometimes, I believe, it is necessary to go through the valleys in order to appreciate the mountain and trusting that God and Christ have the ultimate victory in it all.
DeleteHe was and is and will be to come!
Blessings to you!