Then you will know that I am the Lord; no one who waits for my help will be disappointed. Isaiah 49: 23
How can God guarantee we won’t be disappointed when, so often, the things we pray for don’t happen the way we want—or on our timetable?
The answer is knowing that God is the Lord. If God is who he says he is, it’s safe to trust him. He is all-knowing. He is all-powerful. He loves us. We can trust that he knows what he’s doing—even when things don’t go our way, even when we face challenging circumstances, even when we (or our loved ones) are in pain.
If we believe our Heavenly Father gave his only begotten Son to save us from our sins, we have reason to hope. Jesus’ understandable request to be spared the cup of suffering was not answered the way he would have liked. He wasn’t spared pain and death, but pain and death weren’t the end of the story. Resurrection triumphed.
Our God can bring good out of pain and weakness. When we’re in the midst of trouble, it isn’t easy to remember, but that’s what faith is. If we’re willing to wait, we’ve already demonstrated a faith beyond what our eyes can see or our intellects can understand. Who can understand that, when backed into a corner, a Red Sea can part? Who can understand how God can bring good out of whatever we’re going through? Even when we don’t understand, we can still hope—if we trust God.
Trusting God doesn’t mean we pretend things are fine or that we’re not worried about a sick child, a rocky marriage, or a family crisis. It means we acknowledge the suffering but trust God to provide what we need to get through it. We trust God to provide his help—not the help we demand or the help the world tells us to expect—but the help of Someone who has our best interests at heart.
If we wait to see what God has in mind, we won’t be disappointed.
Prayer: Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.
Reflection: When have you waited for God’s help and not been disappointed?
Copyright 2016, Barbara Hosbach
Barbara Hosbach
Barbara Hosbach, freelance writer, is co-chair of the CJ Chapter of the Catholic Writers Guild and member of the Catholic Press Association. Hosbach’s articles have appeared in a number of Catholic periodicals. Her latest book, Your Faith Has Made You Well: Jesus Heals in the New Testament, explores what happened when Jesus healed and what it means for us today. Your Faith Has Made You Well: Jesus Heals in the New Testament and Fools, Liars, Cheaters, and Other Bible Heroes
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.