Trust and Obey

A Reflection on the Second Reading for Sunday, June 16th, 2024:
Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

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2 Corinthians
5.6-10
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Brothers and sisters, we are always confident, even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord — for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive recompense for what he or she has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Pause. Pray. Reflect.

I can be someone who needs to see the burning bush, or to be on the mountain top popping my tent pegs into the turf in order to trust and obey. Then here I’m told to walk by faith, not by sight. Sometimes I wonder why the Lord gifted me with such an analytical brain if He wants me to simply … blindly … walk by faith.

Of course, I do realize that He doesn’t want me to walk blindly. He wants me to remember everything I know to be true, and to trust that He is there in all the details. He is calling me to know that He is in control and to do good in all things, using the gifts He has entrusted to me here on Earth. I have come to realize that means even my analytical mind can be used to build up His kingdom if I lean not on my own understanding and make room for the Holy Spirit to infuse wisdom into the analysis. 

Several years ago, our pastor asked me to become Chairperson of the inaugural Pastoral Council for our newly amalgamated parish. Our goal was to create a five-year pastoral plan. My analytical, bureaucratic brain exploded with joy! I carefully constructed an in-person meeting schedule that would have the plan fully created and all our parishioners happily holding hands in three months. Half the council resigned after the first meeting, meaning the second and third meetings were delayed while we found new members and started over. Then COVID sent us all home and onto our computer screens for most of the next 18 months. We made some progress over the next year or so, but we certainly weren’t meeting the milestone dates I had planned. 

One day our parish coach asked how much agenda time I was allocating to council members praying together. I realized then that I was trying to walk by sight, not faith, through this process. We began to devote the first half of every meeting to praise, prayer, and meditation, asking God to reveal His will for the parish to us – to trust that He is there in the details – and to obey His promptings. That simple question opened my analytical mind up to let His Spirit in, and slowly I began to walk by faith. 

It won’t surprise most that we now have a vibrant plan supporting a vision to be a parish where parishioners invite others to come encounter Christ, joyfully share His Love, and go make disciples. Once this analytical, blinded walker realized that the Lord had provided a full body with so many other parts to care for each other, His plan for the parish came alive.  

Let us pray.
Father God, thank You for giving me eyes of faith, to know Your truth and faithfulness, and to guide me as I trust in You in this walk on earth. Help me to always remember that You are in every detail and that my only aim in life is to please You, making room for Your Holy Spirit to move me in obedience.  Amen.




Sandy Graves

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