God Is With You in 2022!

Maria V. Gallagher ponders how easy it is to feel abandoned by God when we're experiencing a time of trial.

I have always approached a new year with a bit of trepidation. My father was highly superstitious, and if we did not take down our artificial Christmas tree by New Year’s Eve, he predicted bad luck ahead. My mother, overwhelmed by other post-Christmas duties, sometimes did not make the deadline. This would result in tears all around, as we nervously contemplated our doomed fate for the New Year.

I recently read a book which spoke of a “practical atheism,” that is to say, living as if God is not here. I immediately identified with the concept. Although I am a cradle Catholic and attend weekly Mass, I sometimes catch myself worrying excessively about the future—as if God is not ready to meet me there, just as He is awaiting me with open arms in the here and now.

Now that we are well in to the new year, we may be experiencing some struggles. Our resolutions might have been tossed by the wayside, and we may even find ourselves confronting one crisis after another. We can feel abandoned by friends and family members during those times when we feel we need them most. We may find disappointment at every turn, leading to a disheartened mindset.

disappointed

It has taken me years to accept the fact that I am not in control. Things routinely happen without my permission. The car tires wear down and need replacement … beloved co-workers retire, leaving a hole which I fear can never be filled …prices at the supermarket soar, stretching my food budget to the limit.

Yet, in the midst of trying circumstances, God stands ready to assist us, if only we reach out to Him. The trouble is, when trouble comes, we often forget the Almighty—or maybe we even hold Him responsible for our difficulties.

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In the midst of trying circumstances, God stands ready to assist us, if only we reach out to Him. #catholicmom

When my father died, and I was feeling particularly sorrowful, a friend gave me a plaque which reads, “God is with you in all that you are doing.” It was that plaque that got me through one of the toughest times in my life. I would look at it often, realizing that there was, indeed, truth in the message.

If you are experiencing soul-stretching growing pains right now, I invite you to invite God into your mess. He is an expert at revealing the gold within the dirt, of taking our mess and leaving behind a wonderful message.

Rest assured, no matter what kind of heartache you are enduring right now, God is with you in 2022. Raise your spirit to Him often in prayer, and see what miracles result!

raising hands in prayer