Confidence in God
3 min • Digitized on December 31, 2021
From The Sinner’s Guide, page 432
By Venerable Louis of Granada
Section IV.
Confidence in God.
To fear we must also join confidence. Like a child who fears no danger in his father’s protecting arms, we must cast ourselves into the arms of our Heavenly Father, confident that those Hands which sustain the heavens are all-powerful to supply our necessities, to uphold us in temptation, and to turn all things to our profit. And why should we not have confidence in God? Is He not the most powerful as well as the most tender of fathers?
If your want of merit and the number of your sins alarm and discourage you, fix your thoughts upon the goodness of God, upon His adorable Son, our Redeemer and Mediator, Who died to expiate our sins.
When you are crossing a rapid stream, and the turbulence of the waters makes you dizzy, instead of looking down at the torrent you look above, and your steadiness is restored.
Do likewise when disturbed by the fears we have mentioned. Do not dwell upon your unworthiness or your failings, but raise your eyes to God and consider the infinite goodness and mercy with which He deigns to apply a remedy to all our miseries. Reflect upon the truth of His words, for He has promised to help and comfort all who humbly and confidently invoke His sacred name.
Consider also the innumerable benefits which you have hitherto received from His paternal Hand, and let His bounty in the past inspire you to trust the future to Him with renewed hope.
Above all, consider the merits and sufferings of Christ, which are our principal title to God’s grace and mercy, and which form the treasure whence the Church supplies the necessities of her children.
It was from a confidence inspired by such motives that the Saints drew that strength which rendered them as firm as Mount Sion, and established them in the holy City whence they never could be moved. [Ps. cxxiv. 1.]
Yet, notwithstanding these powerful reasons for hope, it is deplorable that this virtue should still be so weak in us. We lose heart at the first appearance of danger, and go down into Egypt hoping for help from Pharao [Isaias xxx. 2.]—that is, we turn to creatures instead of God.
There are many servants of God who zealously devote themselves to fasting, prayer, and alms-giving, but few who possess the confidence with which the virtuous Susanna was animated, even when condemned to death and led to execution!
Read the Holy Scriptures, particularly the Psalms and the writings of the prophets, and you will find abundant motives for unfailing hope in God.