Flourishing in Trust

Several years back I was recovering from my first months as a new mother, hormones out of control and overall losing a sense of myself. My husband lovingly planned a surprise day away for me with three of my best friends, complete with antiquing and massages.

Surprises I find to be nice in theory, but in reality I like being aware of the plan. I questioned my husband incessantly, finagling details out of him, trying to ensure I had a full scope of what to expect that day. My stress levels skyrocketed.

I find this need to plan extending to many areas of my life, getting caught up in a mindset of concocting a plan rather than trusting God. While not sinful to be well prepared, when I redirect that channel of trust, choosing my own strength over His, I get caught up in my ideals and plans. Ultimately I dry up, becoming a desolate wasteland because my focus has turned inward.

God doesn’t want us stuck in this barren place. He longs for us to grow and truly live. It sounds terrifyingly huge to fully put our trust in God, but I believe it can be done in a much more simple way than anything I could plan. "Blessed are those who trust in the Lord," says the First Reading today. (Jeremiah 17:7) From that place of trust, we will flourish!

One of my favorite saints, Saint Faustina, wrote in her diary how during Holy Mass, Jesus comes to her as a little child and she holds Him in her arms. Questioning Him as to why He has presented Himself in this way, Jesus tells Saint Faustina, "Because I want to teach you spiritual childhood. I want you to be very little, because when you are little, I carry you close to my Heart . . . ." (Entry 1481) (source).

Sisters, be challenged and encouraged by this. Jesus longs for us to climb up and let Him carry us through the unknown and the terrifying. He offers us a spot close to His heart in which we can let go and trust.

God longs for us to grow and truly live.Click to tweet

When trust looks like that, how can we say no? Take a moment to meditate on how abundantly we can live when tucked beside His heart. Let’s allow Him to carry us close to His Sacred Heart.

Sarah Ortiz is a Catholic convert, wife, and mother to four boys. When not folding laundry, she can be found reading, experimenting in the kitchen, or writing at her blog. You can find out more about her here.