“And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Matthew 19:23-24
Father Callahan trying to find a spot at the busy mall looked up to Heaven and prayed, “Father, if you help me find a spot up close, I’ll say an extra Rosary tonight for the poor.” Just then, he saw a spot in the first row. He looked up saying, “never mind, I found one.” As he approached, blinker on, a little sportster shoots in and takes the spot. Father Callahan grunts and replies, “why did You take that spot from me?”
How often are we like Father in this joke? We look to God with promised when we need something. When that something comes to us, we take the credit – we got this. Then, when things don’t turn out perfectly, we instantly blame God.
It isn’t that the rich and successful can’t go to Heaven, it is those who have enough to do it alone who can’t get through the door.
I know this is none of you on the Road of Faith, but, I’ve struggled with ceding control to God, I have been that man who prayed to God for this or that, making promises of prayer and commitment I truly didn’t mean. I have begged God for something, seen the need provided for, and then congratulated myself for the accomplishment.
Look at those days with my daughter, I righteously begged God to heal her. When He didn’t answer, I turned my back on Him.
“But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”” Matthew 19:26
None of these times is the end of the story. All my times of turning from God, patting myself on the back for His accomplishments, and broken promises for answered prayers are all stepping stones to trust. I have to learn by repeating the same mistakes – yea, the definition of insanity. But, it is in these ‘failures’ of mine that God has opened my eyes and given me strength and perseverance to fight onward. It is from my fighting, that I’ve come to realize, as long as I am fighting, I am failing.
It is in this realization that two of my favorite verses open my eyes and bring clarity to my life. Bring strength to stop fighting and start trusting.
“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still.” Exodus 14:14
““Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:19
It is only then that I realize the Lord is teaching me the fight is His – the victory, His.
“Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; my rock and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues the peoples under him.” Psalm 144:1-2