Sometimes we feel like God is hard to find. There are times where prayers aren’t answered or when we don’t feel His presence, especially in times of great need or despair. We start to question ourselves. We start to question God. Does God really exist? Why would He let this happen to me? to my family? to him? to her? to us?
There are four essential elements of our faith: the profession of faith, the sacraments of faith, the life of faith, and the prayer of the believer. When we question God’s existence because of an unanswered prayer or feeling a lack of presence, we should ask ourselves the following: which element of faith do I need to grow in more?
The profession of faith is our creed. We say it every Sunday at Mass. There are many times where I say it out of memory, rather than with my heart. Do I really believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and of earth? Do I really believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ? Do I really believe that for MY salvation, He came down from heaven?
The sacraments of faith are outward signs of inward grace. They nourish us and help us grow in virtue. Have I gone to the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Have I received Holy Communion?
The life of faith are the commandments. They allow us to live a purposeful life with integrity. Do I live by the commandments? Do I look at the commandments as an upward calling? Do they limit me or set me free?
Lastly the prayer of the believer is the Lord’s prayer. We start by honouring Him, asking that His will be done on earth, to give us our daily needs, to forgive us as we forgive others, and to deliver us from evil. Do I honor God? Do I seek to do His will rather than my own? Do I rely on God to give me what I need, not just what I want? Do I seek His forgiveness?
At the end of the day, we all can grow in these four areas. In fact, we will never stop growing. We begin to understand and know the Lord more to the best of our abilities, day by day. We grow in wisdom. God’s glory is revealed in that we finally understand and recognize that there is another level of reality that we will never be able to understand or see. God is God and we are not. There is so much peace in knowing that we have a God who knows all, from the depths of the oceans, to the heights of the mountain, to the inner most desires of our heart.
Spirit of Wisdom, guide me with the light of Your revelation.