Trusting God

Yesterday's Mass readings and homily got me to thinking about how much trust I put in God vs. how much I rely on the material means of this world. It seems like I'm constantly worried about making enough money to pay the bills, impressing the right people, making the right contacts to get that next good job, etc. Taking from yesterday's readings sometimes I think I may be planted a little further away from river that others and it seems like my roots tend to get cut back from time to time. I'm thinking that this sense of distance could be the result of my tendancy to worry about things and how to fix them without first putting my complete trust in God. After all, when I think about it He has blessed me greatly. Sure that have been some times when I barely got by but I've never hit rock bottom. There's always been that extra $50 when I needed it or an new opportunity when I was just ready to give up.

Then there is today's Gospel from Mark:

The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus,
seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.
He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said,
“Why does this generation seek a sign?
Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.”
Then he left them, got into the boat again,
and went off to the other shore. -Mark 8: 11-13

I would have to say that I am guilty of being like the Pharisees at times. Rather than just trust God to provide and to guide me I sometimes find myself waiting for a booming voice from Heaven to tell me what I want to hear. It's like I expect God to show me exactly what the future holds. Well, I haven't heard any booming voices from Heaven. What I do have however is the past to relect upon. Like I said, things have always worked out one way or another. Maybe that is my sign. Maybe that is God's way of saying "look, it's all worked out before hasn't it? Why don't you trust me now?" This is definately something to keep in mind as the Lenten season approaches.