Trusting in Him: In times of struggle

		Living the Scriptures  with St. Paul University  Catholic Center  Jessie Carrano

The summer after my sophomore year in college I went through a time of feeling alone and discouraged. I needed someone to understand and comfort me, but I believed that person did not exist. Even after turning to God in prayer I didn't feel comforted or hopeful.

In the second reading, St. John hears one of the elders in his vision say that the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will shepherd the people who worship God to a spring of life-giving water and wipe every tear from their eyes. Throughout that time of struggle I did not feel that every tear was being wiped from my eyes.

Fourth Sunday of Easter (May 2, 2004) Acts 13:14, 43-52 Ps 100:1-2, 3, 5 Rv 7:9, 14b-17 Jn 10:27-30

My faith and the Word of God told me that Jesus was taking care of me, but my emotions and mind were telling me I was alone. So either God went back on his promise to take care of us or I was confused.

Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."

Our Father is so faithful and loves us so much that his compassions never run out. He never gives up on us. I conclude that I was confused.

Since then the Lord has shown me that my confusion was over my idea of how he takes care of us. I was confused about what my life should look like if God was taking care of me. I thought it meant I was exempt from difficulties.

For example, I thought that if God was protecting me, I wouldn't have to face illness and limited finances. I figured that everything would go the way I thought was best.

This is not what the elder is telling St. John about Jesus' care for us. Jesus himself suffered. We know God the Father was with Christ in his suffering, so when we are feeling like we are suffering, we need to remember that He is with us, too.

As Christians we are going to suffer and God is going to be with us. So what is special in our suffering as Christians?

The life-giving water that Christ offers us is what makes our struggles different. We have nourishment and hope from Christ in our struggles.

The reason I experienced a lonely and discouraged struggle was because I didn't trust his life-giving water and the hope it brings.

	Reflection questions • What does it mean to drink from the life-giving waters? • When was the last time you relied on the life-giving waters in a time of struggle?

In John 16:33, Jesus says, "In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world." Because Christ our Lord conquered the world we don't need to get discouraged when things in this world don't go the way we were hoping.

We hope in something greater than this world and we experience that through His life-giving water. We receive that water through a well that Jesus our shepherd provides for us. He provides this water in unlimited amounts, but we need to trust Him and to drink it.

Jessie Carrano graduated from UW-Madison in December and is currently a full-time dorm missionary, serving university students. She is involved in all undergraduate activities at St. Paul University Catholic Center, Madison.

St. Paul's Web site is www.stpaulscc.org

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