Partnering with God
Work as if everything depends on you, and trust as if everything depends on God,” is the advice of the mystic Ignatius of Loyola. It’s heartening to live in partnership with God. The Bible often records God’s assurance of support to people in trying times or on difficult missions.
“Fear not, I am your shield!” says God to Abraham. To Moses, fearful of approaching the Egyptian ruler, Pharaoh, God says, “I shall be with you.” To Joshua, Moses’ successor, God promises, “I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous!” When the young prophet Jeremiah complains to God, “I do not know how to speak, for I’m only a boy,” God tells him to prophesy with the assurance, “I am with you, don’t be afraid!”
In the Gospels, when Mary is told that she will bear God’s son, Jesus, she is apprehensive. But, she’s told, “Fear not, for you have found favour with God... the Holy Spirit will come upon you.” Jesus gives similar “fear not!” messages to his disciples after his resurrection, promising them that they will experience his power and presence in their life.
“Do your best and God will do the rest,” is a common saying. One of my laidback students who’d get maximum marks with minimum work would joke, “I do the rest and God does his best!” Does trust in God and praying to God make us lazy and make God our crutch?
The Bible explains God’s dealings with us not as divine interference in our affairs, but as God gifting us with qualities and talents that equip us to be “response-able” to circumstances. You and I are intelligent and free. We pray not that God “poke his nose”, so to say, into our business, but in order to discern what is good and what is not. Prayer enables us to look at our world as God views and loves it.
After using our wisdom to decipher what is the best option to promote the greatest common good, we decide to act with the assurance that God is with us. Actions that spring out of deep awareness, trustful prayer and altruistic motives are sure to promote the good of all in society.
Life lived in partnership with God generates hope, harmony and happiness. In the Bible, two “Josephs” epitomise this. First, Joseph, son of Jacob, interprets dreams with phenomenal success, which he attributes to God, saying, “Not I, but God!” Second, Joseph, Jesus’ foster-father, trusts God fully and leads Mary and Jesus through trials and tribulations.
Feeling lonely? Fearful? Business failed? Establish your “trust” with God as a partner. No price and no conditions. Just say, “I’ll do my best, Lord, and I trust you’ll do the rest!”
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