We are all going to have to get used to the idea of living by Divine Providence when things get really tough over the next few years. I believe the present tough times are but mere preparation for the tribulations to come. On a personal level our finances have been squeezed to the limit over the past few years, all our savings are gone and we are somewhat encumbered by some debt so things are not good. In praying for an answer to the financial dilemma I have not received any Divine confirmation other than a striking revelation when reciting the Our Father 'Give us this day our daily bread'. I feel this is God's will for all of our lives - he promises to provide for our daily and immediate needs - and I have not gone hungry so God has been faithful to his promise. He has always provided and always will even when I am faced with insurmountable problems He will provide. By way of illustration - I was with my in-laws over the weekend some ninety miles from home. We were returning home last evening and I noticed the petrol indicator was quite low and I doubted we had enough to get home. I know my car well [1/4 million miles on it] and reckoned I had enough to do 60 miles max. As as we had no money in the account on Monday [money deposited to be in on Tuesday] I could not buy more petrol so here was an opportunity to trust in Divine Providence. The first part of our journey was interrupted because of a crash and the police re-directed us and we had to return to base and go by an alternative route adding a further twenty miles to our journey. Of all times I thought but then saw this as a sign that God was testing my faith and I knew He was in control. My new prayer every morning is that I ask God to 'choreograph my day' so that I always be in His Divine Will. I encouraged the Holy Angels to intercede and prayed the Rosary the whole way home. When we reached the motorway the dial hand was at the last notch and I expected the low fuel indicator light to come on any minute. With some 50 miles left was semi-worried but trusted the angels to look after us. Incredibly that dial did not move one millimeter on that motorway. The low fuel light flickered near home but did not go on. We had done 110 miles on very little petrol. A little mini miracle. So with regard to the bigger picture of our finances - I have placed this all in God's hands and know He will sort it in His time and not ours. I look forward to posting on how He solves this intractable problem for it remains a burden to us but Divine Providence will always provide.
He has brought me through all my trials and tribulations. He will get me through anything else that is to come. I have faced hell with Him at my side. I will face it again. He who is in us is stronger than he who is in the world. The idiot downstairs, truly is an idiot. There is only one creator. he (small h intended) was created just like the rest of us. This knowledge kills him, I remind him of this when I feel the effects of his kicks and offer it all up to God. I just know that it kills him that yet again, grace has been given to another soul because of his actions. We have no need to fear, if we live with God today, we will live with him whatever..
Mary's child, I appreciate the name you use for the devil, downstairs idiot. I once had a spiritual director that reminded me that the devil is angelic and more powerful than humans, and that he inflicts much horror and confusion uopn earth. Because of that the downstairs idiot wants us to fear him. However, confident in the protection of the Two Hearts and the certain knowledge of being children of our Abba, my spiritual director stated that the devil, prideful as he is, is infuriated when we show him a certain amount of disrespect. Thus, you'll often see me call him JoeJerk. 1Peter5 warns us: 8 Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking some one to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experience of suffering is required of your brotherhood throughout the world. And of course you have already quoted 1John: Greater is he that is within you than he who is in the world!
yes, you are very right in what you say about the idiot Mario. But I know loads of people who fear him and remind them that he is NOT the opposite to God. he wants us to think this, because in order to be the opposite of God it would mean that he would have to be equal to him in power, majesty, wisdom etc.. and we all know that this most definitely ISN'T the case. He is only the opposite of what he once was, and it is only the human race that give him this power. If we were all smart enough to ignore him he would be stumped. Now we can ignore God but it won't take away from His Power, His love and His majesty.. And who HE IS. for Truth is Truth. I know the idiot downstairs is causing a lot of damage, but I still state he is only the opposite of what he once was. One could argue that he is the opposite to St Michael, but he isn't St Michael made him prostrate before God and recognize who God was and is, so he isn't the opposite of St Michael. And even if he was a bit more powerful than the least in Heaven, he would still be the weakest, because God is in control. This helps so many people who fear him, and their fear all but diminishes. I know evil is there, I have come face to face with it so many times, and my spirit has got so jaded, but ... my spirit is eternal as is yours and God will be the Victor in All if we let him.. I love the name that you give him too, they are all very apt..
"We are all going to have to get used to the idea of living by Divine Providence when things get really tough over the next few years. I believe the present tough times are but mere preparation for the tribulations to come". I'm in the process of building a raised veg/flower bed in my back garden. I don't know why really as I've never had an affiliation with home grown food or flowers. Tesco's carrot and parsnip mash was the delicacy of choice for me. It just makes sense now to create a sustainable food source but Like i said, this is all new to me so...any suggestions as to what to put in my veg bed?
You are well prepared, i am hoping for miracles of multiplying bread etc, and being fed manna from Heaven. Maybe, if we are fortunate enough to have a priest with us, we will be sustained on the Blessed Eucharist. Do you ever wonder if all the trials and tribulations that God has allowed in your life time have been to teach you, to strengthen you and to prepare you for the times ahead?
A story to share on divine providence... I recently had to get my car inspected. I was very worried it would cost a lot, as I knew I needed brakes and the check engine light goes on and off. I put it off and off just fearful of the cost. Every noise the car made was magnified in my head, and before I knew it, I convinced myself the car was going to cost me a ton of money to fix. Well miraculously, I didn't even need any work to get an inspection sticker. But my brakes were very bad, so I got the brakes fixed and another repair to take care of all the extra noise it was making. It didn't cost me nearly as much as I thought...especially since the idiot downstairs had me convinced with negative thoughts that it was going to cost me an arm and a leg...but it really only cost me an arm In addition a week ago I won a sales incentive at one of my jobs. I didn't even know the incentive was going on, but I ended up winning a $50 gas card. Then they put all of the sales reps name in a hat, and my name was pulled out and I won another $50 gas card!! God does provide in surprising ways!! My co-workers couldn't believe my "luck" Garabandal - you are wise to meditate on "give us our daily bread". A few years ago I confessed that I was very worried about money, and the priest told me to say the Our Father, and say really slowly and meditate on the words "give us our daily bread". However now my money situation is much worse, and recently in confession I told the priest I was having trouble trusting in God's providence and asked him about what Jesus says in Matthew about God providing for the birds, and if we are seeking the kingdom all will be provided for us and more. He stated that the only thing God promises us is he loves us and never abandons us, and I should pray to God for some relief of my current situation. But I do think God does provide for us, and the priest just didnt' want to give me false hope. But getting the 2 gas cards out of the blue gives me hope that God will provide for me when I have to move out of my living arrangement in the spring. Jesus, I trust in you!
A little story about divine providence of my own. Just the other night, on the Feast of the Assumption, I was feeling particularly down, and the damp rainy weather wasn't helping one bit. So I decided to drive to a town in North Cork, about an hour away, just to get out of the house. This was about 9pm in the evening. As I drove through driving wind (storm force) and rain, I prayed that somehow the church might be open there so I could go in to pray before the Blessed Sacrament. Once I entered the town, I could just make out the spire of the church illuminated in the dark, up on a hill. With only a sat-nav for company, I took a route entitled 'Chapel street' (using basic logic and reason!!) and I found the church gates were still open. I drove on up to find the church door bolted shut, but there were a few cars in the car park, and a light was on in a little room next to the church. To my delight, I found that there was 24hr perpetual adoration in a lovely room next to the chapel, with a beautiful golden monstrance and some lovely holy books on a shelf to one side. I made a holy hour there, and I thanked the Lord for providing me with this spiritual refreshment, as I felt that night that I really needed to pray in the presence of God. In this town there is a very holy priest whom I know of, who is also devoted to Our Lady. Our Blessed Mother was indeed looking after me that night!
Trusting in Divine Providence is really tough going and it is natural to doubt - becoming childlike in trust of the Prodigal Father doesn't happen overnight. Such deep faith in God's providence is one of the characteristics of the saints. It takes a lifetime to reach such a level of trust. I do struggle from day to day in trusting God to come through and one can be prone to despair sometimes but God understands our fragility for as St Paul stated we on earth only 'see as through a glass darkly'. Faith is a life journey of continued struggle which only makes sense in the light of the cross. God understands the human condition since Jesus became like us and experienced all things we experience except sin. He really understands us and we see this in his handling of the apostles - he was a tough but tender teacher - but always is a loving and merciful saviour.
Wonderful - what a special and blessed Holy Hour. Sean - you are really a most special young man to understand the importance of the spiritual life and the spiritual journey in a world that has sadly become so secular and divorced from God in many ways. May God bless you in abundance and our Lady always protect you under her mantle.
