Depend on God
one
Yesterday, in the Rosary entitled “God as the Necessary Being” we meditated on a really solid reason we can know with certainty God exists.
Everything in the universe comes from, depends upon something else, something outside it. Everything was born or evolved or was formed out of other things.
When you depend on something else for existence then you don’t exist necessarily. In fact, the whole universe is a collection of things dependent on other things. The whole universe is non-necessary.
If you take all the non-necessary things and put them in one bucket, how do we explain their existence. Not with one more non-necessary thing because it too would have to go in the bucket.
The only way to explain the universe, all the non-necessary things is to point to a Necessary thing – Something that must exist, something that IS existence. This is God. God is the original necessary Being on which everything else depends – including you!
two
We are overwhelmed because we are not humble.
To be humble is to admit we are contingent beings. We depend on so many things to live: We depend on God for existence. We depend on parents, a community and nation and economy and health care, police, water and a means of distribution. We especially need the people around us. We are not self-sufficient and we are not Necessary beings.
We get stressed and overwhelmed because think it all depends on us. It is just the opposite. We depend on everything else – first and foremost we depend on God.
So relax. It all doesn’t depend on you. No one, especially God expects you to carry the weight of the world alone.
three
To break the cycle of being overwhelmed we need to identify the cause.
What is it that you cannot answer, can’t fix or solve or control that is the cause of stress, anxiety and worry?
Identify them in this decade and maybe jot them down.
The things that are out of your control or beyond your authority – surrender them to God.
The things you cannot change or fix – surrender them to God.
The things for which you are responsible – well, you are going to need to stop procrastinating, think them through, make a decision and then take action.
four
Our Father wants us to use the powers of our soul to grow and mature.
He wants us to think and choose and follow through. These are the steps of Prudence:
First we gather all the relevant information. Take counsel with those who are experienced and knowledgeable in the matter at hand. Pray and seek God’s Counsel. Be patient until you get the relevant information you need. Then think things through. Weigh the evidence and options fairly.
But you can’t just think about something forever. You must make a choice. God wont do it for you.
Then, once you judge the right thing to do - do it! Put your hand to the plow, follow through and don’t look back.
five
Relying on God’s Providence
God does not want you to rely on yourself. But he does want you to take the steps of Prudence, to think, make a choice and take action. That is your part.
God’s part is to see everything you can’t see and ultimately to work all things for good – especially our imperfect choices and actions.
Just keep his part and your part straight.
So be at Peace. You were never meant to be the Necessary Being that holds the universe together. That is God.
Lean on Him and He will uphold you!