Growing in inner freedom and trust in God

[Mark Dohle]

Growing in inner freedom and trust in God

(189) On one occasion, the Lord said to me, Why are you fearful and why do you tremble when you are united to Me? I am displeased when a soul yields to vain terrors. Who will dare to touch you when you are with Me? Most dear to Me is the soul that strongly believes in My goodness and has complete trust in Me. I heap My confidence upon it and give it all it asks.-Divine Mercy Diary

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We live in a world of limitations. As we age, we tend to be more aware of our limits, even if we on some level we rebel against the aging process.
I am aware of my own inability to forgive others on my own. In my prayer life this has always been a theme. The violence in the world, and yes the corruption can easily reflect back on me, since I see that I have the seeds in my own soul. The paradox is this: as we mature in our faith, we can begin to understand why Jesus said: “Fear is useless, what is needed is faith” Mark 5:36.

It can be very difficult overcoming servile fear of God. I would venture to say that this is the ‘death to self’ that Jesus asks of us. To let go of constantly looking at ourselves, comparing our virtue with that of others. As we grow in trust in God’s love for us, we become open to the pruning process that the Father does on all of His children. An often painful experience.

Confidence in God, trust in His mercy, and undying hope are not easy to acquire. We have a whole list of life experiences, and often teachings that go against our truly trusting God.

There comes a time when in prayer, that we have to say that our emotions, and feelings, while good and necessary, are not arbiters of truth. Much of our inner life, our thoughts, and our emotional responses are more compulsive than any real thinking or feeling. Prayer allows us to step back, do this often enough, and our capacity for God, for trust, and love increase.

Grace is like the rain that allows all things to grow. Be open, be strong in faith, and do not allow yourselves to be chained by unruly thoughts, emotions, and feelings.

Observing a thought in prayer before the Lord, allows it to weaken over time. To fight them is to give more life.-BrMD