How to Work While Completely Relying on God
We're continuing our special series of posts to help us work through this
Holy Season of Lent. Each will incorporate the advice provided by Father de
Caussade in Abandonment to Divine Providence, specifically
referencing passages from the "Letters on the Practice of Abandonment to
Divine Providence" that are typically included in editions of his
spiritual writing.
Letter V - Recourse to Providence - shows us the right way to rely on God in our work. But the first words of this Letter can puzzle, even disturb those of us who responsibly pursue our work with diligence and persistence:
"...no sooner do I make a sacrifice of everything to Him than He rectifies and makes it all turn out for the best."
Does it seem Father is saying that totally relying on God takes all the hard work out of work? Or is he saying if we rely on God, we're assured of good results?
It can certainly seem that way, especially when we read:
"Never does He fail those who put their whole trust in His protection."
Does total reliance on God mean we passively sit back and sigh, "What will be will be"?
But Father snatches this sort of thinking and sets our minds straight:
"Should you remark that it is sufficient for us passively to submit to be led then what about the proverb, 'God helps those who help themselves'? I did not say that you were to do nothing - without doubt it is necessary to help ourselves; to wait with folded arms for everything to drop from Heaven...would be an absurd and culpable quietism applied to supernatural graces."
(If you're not sure what "quietism is and why it's not good, click HERE for a lengthy, detailed expose that shows why the Church has condemned it.)
Clearly our reliance on God does not preclude our working hard every day. But relying totally on God does allow us to work hard in a calm and peaceful manner - something that, frankly, escapes me on certain days.
"Therefore while cooperating with God, and leaning on Him, you must never leave off working yourself. To act in this way is to act with certainty and consequently with calmness. When, in all our actions we look upon ourselves as instruments in the hands of God to work out His hallowed designs, we shall act quietly, without anxiety, without hurry, without uneasiness about the future, without troubling about the past, giving ourselves up to the fatherly providence of God and relying more on Him than on all possible means."
We might create a checklist from this paragraph. We could compare our daily actions and feelings to this list. Are we working:
Father de Caussade tells us what to expect if we rely more on God than on any and all human means:
"In this way we shall always be at peace, and God will infallibly turn everything to our good, whether temporal or eternal."
I don't know about you, but I think it's worth the effort.
Letter V - Recourse to Providence - shows us the right way to rely on God in our work. But the first words of this Letter can puzzle, even disturb those of us who responsibly pursue our work with diligence and persistence:
"...no sooner do I make a sacrifice of everything to Him than He rectifies and makes it all turn out for the best."
Does it seem Father is saying that totally relying on God takes all the hard work out of work? Or is he saying if we rely on God, we're assured of good results?
It can certainly seem that way, especially when we read:
"Never does He fail those who put their whole trust in His protection."
Does total reliance on God mean we passively sit back and sigh, "What will be will be"?
But Father snatches this sort of thinking and sets our minds straight:
"Should you remark that it is sufficient for us passively to submit to be led then what about the proverb, 'God helps those who help themselves'? I did not say that you were to do nothing - without doubt it is necessary to help ourselves; to wait with folded arms for everything to drop from Heaven...would be an absurd and culpable quietism applied to supernatural graces."
(If you're not sure what "quietism is and why it's not good, click HERE for a lengthy, detailed expose that shows why the Church has condemned it.)
Clearly our reliance on God does not preclude our working hard every day. But relying totally on God does allow us to work hard in a calm and peaceful manner - something that, frankly, escapes me on certain days.
"Therefore while cooperating with God, and leaning on Him, you must never leave off working yourself. To act in this way is to act with certainty and consequently with calmness. When, in all our actions we look upon ourselves as instruments in the hands of God to work out His hallowed designs, we shall act quietly, without anxiety, without hurry, without uneasiness about the future, without troubling about the past, giving ourselves up to the fatherly providence of God and relying more on Him than on all possible means."
We might create a checklist from this paragraph. We could compare our daily actions and feelings to this list. Are we working:
- quietly?
- without anxiety?
- without hurry?
- without uneasiness about the future?
- without troubling about the past?
Father de Caussade tells us what to expect if we rely more on God than on any and all human means:
"In this way we shall always be at peace, and God will infallibly turn everything to our good, whether temporal or eternal."
I don't know about you, but I think it's worth the effort.
We adore Thee O Christ, and we bless Thee,
Because by Thy Holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
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