by Gelly McAuliffe-Bunker
Dear Sisters in Christ,
If I may share a gem from my journey this month, it’s to trust in God even when the way ahead is uncertain.
Paul reminds us that we are striving to claim an eternal prize. “All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing” (1 Cor 9:25-26 NLT).
In this post-Easter period, we know why an eternal prize awaits us – because of the faithfulness of Jesus in persevering in trust. Through His sacrifice, Jesus restored our relationship with God (1 John 4:10). Now, trusting in Jesus’s sacrifice, we take our place as adopted children of our Heavenly Father (Gal 4:5).
But what about the here and now?
Sometimes we may experience confusion about which fork in the road will best serve us and Gods’ ultimate plan for us. At other times, we may simply feel as though we are travelling through a desert or wilderness season, with no fork and no road. “Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand” (Ps 73:23 ESV). Even when the way is hidden, God is holding us. Even when we guess that we may have taken a wrong turn, God is guiding us back to His way (Jas 5:19-20). Even when we feel defeated, confused, frustrated, and alone, God is “continually with you.”
God is guiding our way forward and He is also the One who is strengthening us to persevere (Phil 4:13). “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths” (Prov 3:5-6 ESV). We can say with Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, “Give Our Lord the benefit of believing that his hand is leading you, and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete.” Although our hearts, minds, and spirits may be anxious and fearful, let us give these fears and anxieties to the Lord for His refinement.
We keep our eyes on the Lord. We keep our feet pointed in the direction in which He last guided us and, with Thomas Merton, we can believe that our faithfulness to the intention to glorify God does in fact glorify God. In our perseverance, we are trusting. In our trust, we are staying faithful to the race to which we are called. And in our obedience, we are drawing closer to the eternal prize which God has prepared for us. Let us continue to persevere, let us continue to stay true, even when the next stop in the race is beyond our comprehension. Our continually-with-us God is faithfully guiding us by the hand. We know that our persevering Lord will also persevere with us.
Gelly Nic seeks to share God’s Word with others, that each may know and experience the incredible love and faithfulness of our God, who draws near to us as we draw near to Him (Jas 4:8). Her heart prayer is that those on the margins would find grace and true fellowship in God, and with His people.