Gulf Pine Catholic

Gulf Pine Catholic • April 26, 2024 9 Trust is one of the first things engrained in our lives in the beginning stages of life. When we are born, we are inca- pable of surviving on our own. In our helplessness, trust is nec- essary. The same can be found in the last stages of life as well. As we mature, we find our- selves leaning on the trust of others as our means to survive. Those who are fortunate to see a full life here on earth begin to realize they must trust someone to provide them with life’s necessities. Trust is a common theme we should find through- out life. Proverbs 3:5-6 states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” So why is it we have a hard time finding trust in God, and in others, in the part of our lives that fall in between the first and last stages of life? Just as trust is a common theme found in our lives, it is also a common theme found in the Bible. In times of distrust, Isaiah 41:10 reminds us: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Even still, in the sustainable stages of our life, when we are able to provide ourselves with the means to survive, our trust begins to fade. We start to allow memories of betrayal, deceit, and abandon- ment to control the way we interact with others. We allow politics, global events, and the storms of life dictate how we see God. But shouldn’t we allow these moments to strengthen our trust in God and in others more? The difficult circumstances we find ourselves in throughout life are not the fault of God or of oth- ers. We are the only ones responsible for where we are today, and where we will be tomorrow. We are a product of our own choices. And sometimes it’s the choices that seem small and insignificant that make the biggest impact in life. It’s the day-to-day interactions and emotions that create our habits in life. It’s our habits that form the path we travel in life. And the path we choose results in the story our life begins to tell. When we find ourselves lacking trust in life, it’s not trust we lack in God or in others. It’s trust we lack in ourselves, and the choices we make. Without the storms and hardships in our lives, would we still see a need to pray? It is in the ‘sus- tainable’ times of life when we don’t need others to survive that we should find the most trust. Not be- cause we have to, but rather for reasons of being able to trust by choice. Finding trust in ourselves is what allows our soul to survive and thrive during the storms of life. In the upcoming weeks, I challenge you to lean on trust more. Find trust in those around you, find trust in God to see you through any difficulties you may be expe- riencing, and most of all find trust in yourself with the choices and decisions you make throughout the day. If you find moments when a little extra reassur- ance or guidance is needed, I’ll leave you with the verse that helped me find trust while battling the big- gest storms in my life. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not over- whelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” (Isaiah 43:2) Ashley Bonney is a member of Most Holy Trinity Parish, Pass Christian. Learning to Trust Bonney Guest Columnist Share, listen to people’s encounter with Jesus, pope says BY CAROL GLATZ Catholic News Service VATICAN CITY ( CNS ) -- Christians must share their faith in the risen Jesus, Pope Francis said. They also should “talk about the good inspirations that have guided us in life, the good thoughts and feelings that help us so much to go forward, and also about our efforts and labors to understand and to progress in the life of faith, perhaps even to repent and retrace our steps,” the pope said April 14 before leading the midday recitation of the “Regina Coeli” prayer. Greeting visitors in St. Peter’s Square, the pope said it is good and important to share one’s faith in Jesus. “Every day we are bombarded with a thousand messages. Many of them are superficial and useless, others reveal an indiscreet curiosity or, worse still, arise from gossip and malice,” he said. “But there is also good news, positive and constructive, and we all know how good it is for us to hear good things, and how much better we are when this happens,” he said. “It is also good to share the realities that, for better or worse, have touched our lives, so as to help others,” he said, including “the most beautiful thing we have to tell: our encounter with Jesus.” “Each one of us could say so much about this: seeing how the Lord has touched us, and sharing this, not by being a lecturer to others, but by sharing the unique moments in which we perceived the Lord alive and close,” he said. Pope Francis asked Catholics to reflect on a “powerful moment of our life of faith” when they found the Lord and when they felt him near, and to also remember to listen to others when they share about their encounter with Jesus.