Five Words I Should Say More Often

I was recently given some very excellent advice which wouldn't really be "lightbulb moment" material for most people, but, you know, I'm a little slow.  A priest told me that whenever I was feeling angry, impatient, or tempted to say "Jesus, I trust in you," and think of all the things I was trusting to Jesus, one by one.

Trusting God may seem like stale or trite advice for anyone who's been a Christian for more than five minutes.  "You have problems? Oh, well, trust God and it will all work out in the end," can be a very grating to anyone dealing with real suffering or real sin.  But you would be surprised how actually saying the words, "Jesus, I trust in you," until you really understand not just that you trust Him, but what you are entrusting to Him, can bring you closer to peace than you think possible.

At first, when you start listing all the things you have to trust to Jesus, it can actually be terrifying.  "I entrust to  you my marriage, my children, my house, my financial future, my fertility, my family, my death, my soul. . ."  You start to realize what you have to lose when you give up control.  You are opening yourself to a future that might include poverty, heartbreak, suffering, or death.  You are asking that God's will should be done, even if it's not your will.  That's intense.  And scary.  We want to be in control of raising our children, planning our future, and making a life for ourselves.  It's human nature.

And yet, as you say "Jesus I trust you with these things,"  you realize they are all gifts from Him anyway.  Gifts which He has created and can take care of best.  Also, He's not asking you to drop them like a bad habit.  You see, you are also giving yourself to Jesus, a tool to work His will in this world, specifically in your world.  You are simply removing from yourself the responsibility to do it all and control it all. You could call  yourself the artist of your own destiny, but then, Michaelangelo, you are the one who has to paint the Sistine Chapel.  Or you could surrender the work to the Master artist and happily be the brush in His hand.

Sacred of Heart of Jesus, we trust in you.

Today is: The Feast of St.Grimbald

Mama finished reading (and really enjoyed): That Distant Land by Wendell Berry

p.s. check out this poem 

Finn is: a mere six days away from being 2

Gigi is: almost five months old!