Today, Victor and I dive into one of the biggest struggles we all face—trusting in God’s provision. It’s not always easy to let go, especially when anxiety and fear kick in, but we’re here to share some inspiration, a few laughs, and even some of our personal struggles with letting go and trusting that God has us covered.

In this episode, we go over the importance of surrender, how to recognize God’s provision in our lives, and why faith isn’t just about saying we believe—it’s about showing it with our actions. We also reflect on how the Bible reminds us that God knows what we need and always has our backs, even when we’re tempted to take control ourselves.

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  Well, welcome back to the pew. Everybody. I am your host, John Edwards and here across the table from me as always is my co host and cohort Victor Adams. Yeah. And John, you know, I don’t know if everyone knows that you had a birthday recently. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think you’re, you’re confused at how old you are.

Yeah. Angela told me I was 47 and I was like the whole time going, I don’t think I was ever 46. And she basically robbed me for the last three weeks of, of, of thinking I was 47. I was like, What’s going on? And then Nick was over here and I was, I was blessed to be home this weekend for my birthday. So all y’all came over to watch football and hang out.

And it was just a great weekend and, uh, celebrating the birthday. But Nick was like, wait a minute. I was born in 78 too. And I’m, I’m 46. I was like, I was just working. And then Angela looks over and she realizes the mistake and she just starts laughing. But yeah, I thought I had lost a year somewhere. I thought I was going nuts.

It’s like, I know I’ve been traveling a lot, but yeah, I don’t remember missing an entire year of my life. So, but yeah, we did, I turned 46, not 47 and I had a wonderful weekend and just, uh, just was so blessed with you and some other friends that came over and chose to spend time with me. So thank you for doing that.

You’re welcome. Now you just gotta get, you said you already got your, uh, your health. Yeah, yeah, I got all my health screenings done, yeah, the colonoscopy and all that stuff you’re, I know you’re alluding to. It’s important everybody. Yeah, that’s right. Yeah, it’s not fun, but it’s important. Right. But, uh, yeah, I’ve had that stuff done and just excited for, you know, just the end of the year coming, you know, the holidays, Advent, all that stuff.

And, and, uh, actually I have one trip left before the end of the year. That is coming up this Thursday. So two days from now, when this episode comes out, I’ll be headed to Ann Arbor to Christ the King parish up there for our first restored men’s healing conference alongside the JP2 Healing Center and Paul George.

So for those of you that are thinking about joining, whether you’re in the area, you could show up to the parish. You can, you have to register online or you can register there at the door. If you can be physically with us, if you’re in the Michigan area or within driving distance, It’s going to be the 14th through the 16th.

That’s Thursday night, Friday night, Saturday morning through Saturday afternoon, Paul George, and I’ll be taking turns giving talks and covering just the four identities of a man and how to move from, from, uh, you know, through those four identities and becoming restored in the Lord, how to heal from our wounds.

It’s going to be awesome. Uh, all the folks from, uh, the team that had been working with us, Danny and, and, and Diana and Hunter. And John, the musician, we’re all going to be there putting on this weekend. So if you’re in the area, come and join us. If you can’t, there is a live stream. So any of you that are around the world anywhere or in other parts of the country, you can go to the JP2healingcenter.

org website. And that’s JPIIhealingcenter. org, not the letter two. You can go there and you can sign up for the live stream. You can register for the live stream. And you can watch it all from the comfort of your own home. So I would consider doing that if you can’t be there with us. I mean, you can still take in the material and you can still go through the exercises and everything that we’re going to be doing there.

So excited about that trip, Victor, but it’s also the last trip of the year. So I’m excited to just kind of be off the road for a little bit after that. To just get fully immersed in Advent with my family and Christmas and all those things before we begin travel in January Another thing I wanted to bring up to those out there is on November the 18th this coming Monday Early giving starts for I Give Catholic for Giving Tuesday.

Giving Tuesday this year is actually December the 3rd, but early giving starts on November the 18th. Folks, we’re trying to raise over 50, 000 this year to bring on someone that can come in and work with me going out to train these men’s groups and to launch these men’s groups. It is an important work.

We have people lined up. We have over 25 parishes and dioceses on the wait list to start working with them. One of them alone has 129 parishes. That they’re asking us to start partnering with them to work in to get ministry men going in their parishes. I can’t do that alone We’re also trying to build an online platform where we can talk to men about restoration and healing and discipleship That paul george is going to come on alongside me to put some some of these courses on there So men can really go in there Continue their discipleship outside of the group.

So they’re working on their individual discipleship and then as a group working on growing as brothers together So we’re working on all those things, but all those things cost money. We can’t do it alone So I’m asking you to consider giving to our I give Catholic Fund and goal and need this year so that we can bring on people to continue helping people and the way that god has Asked us to and then finally, uh, you can check all that out in the in the comments below We’ll have links to I give catholic again.

You can go to our social media pages. We’ll be sending out emails So just keep your eyes open for that stuff and just if you can and you and God leads you to, please consider giving to us in a, in a generous way so we can meet that goal and we can take this ministry to the next level. Final announcement, uh, just wanted to say that we will have a big announcement, uh, coming up the week of Thanksgiving.

So tune in that weekend or that week for that episode. We’re going to send out a lot of things on social media. I can’t tell you what it is yet, but I’m excited about it. It’s something that’s going to happen in 2025. So please keep your ears on for that. Uh, tune in and. We’ll have a big announcement for you.

So go to the JP two event, either online or in person. If you can then give on giving Tuesday to us, starting November, the 18th on early giving, if you can, and then listen in for the announcement. We’re going to be sharing with you and a surprise we’ve got coming up. I can’t wait to share with all of you.

So Victor, that was a lot and I was trying to get it done in a little bit of time. It was good information. Yeah, that’s right. We got a lot going on, man. A lot of needs in the ministry. I’m excited about all of it, but really excited to get into today’s topic. You know, this is, uh, the Tuesday after the, the 32nd Sunday in ordinary time, this past Sunday, we had the readings with, um, with first of all, the, the lady and Elijah and the old Testament.

When Elijah was asking for, um, sustenance, basically starting widow and her son, widow and her son. And Elijah was asking for sustenance, which she was saying, I don’t have, we’re going to talk about that. And then we had the second reading that talks about Jesus goes in and on our behalf to God, the father.

And then we have the gospel reading where we see the widow that. she has. And as I was reading these, you know, a lot of people interpret them different ways. Some people, the church oftentimes uses them, uh, to basically spur on donations. Like we’ve got to be generous so that we can keep the work of God going.

And while that’s a good thing, and that is a point that could certainly be taken from the readings. To me, these readings always point towards the need for a greater trust in God, right? That God’s got us. That’s what it reminds me of this, that we need this trust in God’s provision. And, you know, you’re my friend, Victor.

So we talk a lot and you know that sometimes I fail to be very trusting in God’s provision. People go, Oh, how can that be? John, you you’re in this ministry and you gave up everything. Well, just because I took that step doesn’t mean like I physically took a step in the right direction doesn’t mean that i’m always fully letting go of worries anxieties concerns and Uh in the ministry and in my own personal life And so these readings really speak to me and i’m excited to get into them and talk about what we you know The lord’s led us to talk about today.

Well, it’s not like you fail because we all struggle with it Really? I say the struggle it’s like a tug of war tug of war between our anxiety and our fear And And sometimes we decide who’s going to win or, or we, but we don’t realize that, you know, we’re, we’re pulling against ourselves. I mean, we were, it’s the exact opposite of ourselves over there with the fear and anxiety and us with the hope, you know, pulling back saying, you know, no, I believe in God.

Um, and a lot of that’s inner battle that like all of us have, we just don’t, we don’t know how often we, we fight it. Um, and, and faith, I think keeping the faith is, is, is something that we’ve. Talked about in almost every podcast, you know, um, but what we’re going to talk about more is trust. You know, what’s the difference between faith and trust?

Sure. Is there a difference? You know, this we’ll talk about. Yeah. And I mean, it’s just in this provision, you know, we talk about providence a lot, but provision, like the fact that God is going to provide for our every need and it doesn’t always feel like it, but sometimes the needs That we think we need aren’t what we need.

It’s really what we want. And so we get confused there and it’s just like with anything else, ultimately, ultimately the things that that keep us from God ourselves, right. Getting our way. Like I trust you, God, but like you said, still trying to hold on to that rope instead of fully letting go, you know, our hands will be all rope burned up and everything else from still trying to grasp onto these things that God wants us to let go of.

And that’s, that’s the thing, this provision of God is the fact that he has told us again and again and again. you, all I need you to do is trust me. It’s like those old trust fall exercises that everybody used to do, where they stand you up, you cross your arms, you’re on a table and there’s a bunch of your friends or whoever’s at youth camp or whatever with you or work and you have to trust that when you just fall back, they’re going to catch you and work all the time.

Right? No, I never personally hit the ground, but I might’ve gotten close because of my size, but like, But there were people that tried to catch me at least. But I think in the end, you know, we, that first, that first fall back is the scariest thing. Like once you start falling, you’re like, all right, I’m in it.

Right. And you’re hoping and praying that somebody catches you. And they normally do. I mean, sorry for those that may have dropped or whatever, but, but no, it normally you’re caught and you go, wow, like I can trust these people. Like that, that was easier. That was hard. But once I got into it, it was easier than I thought.

And this is the invitation. That we have to follow God in our lives. And, and I love these readings because it takes us right in that. And I want to start with the first one. You know, it says in those days, Elijah, the prophet went to Zarephath as he arrived at the interest of the city, a widow was gathering sticks there and he called out to her, please bring me a small cup full of water to drink.

She left to get it, and he called out after her, Please bring along a bit of bread. And she answered, As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked. There is only a handful of flour in my jar and a little oil in my jug. Just now I was collecting a couple of sticks to go in and prepare something for myself and my son.

When we have eaten it, we shall die. Elijah said to her, Do not be afraid. Go and do as you propose. But first make me a little cake and bring it to me. Then you can prepare something for yourself and your son. For the Lord, the God of Israel, says, The jar of flour shall not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, until the day when the Lord sends rain upon the earth.

She left and did as Elijah had said, and she was able to eat for a year, and he and her son as well. The jar of flour did not go empty, nor the jug of oil run dry, as the Lord had foretold through Elijah. Man, I love that reading, because, you see, Elijah, this person is sitting out there that she doesn’t really know.

Maybe she does, maybe she doesn’t, doesn’t say, but all of a sudden this person just says, Hey, bring me a handful of, you know, bring me something to eat. Bring me a cake. She had no problem giving the water because it was free flowing. There was plentiful, right? It’s like, okay, I can do that for you. But when it came to the thing that Elijah wanted, that she barely had any of, or she was concerned she didn’t have enough, she became hesitant.

Right. And that’s how, how a lot of us can be. We’re like, oh, well, yeah, I’m overflowing in that, but no God, you want that? Well, I don’t have enough of that. And what about me? And what if I give you that what’s going to happen? And this is the same thing we see with her. If she starts to basically say that and bring up these reasons.

Well, look, I only have a little bit left and my son and I had already Just we’ve we’ve decided we’re going to die because that’s all we have left. We have nothing So telling you that you can see I have nothing to give you right and elige is like no Don’t be afraid and how many times in the bible is don’t be afraid said like i’ve heard it’s over 365 times Like for a day for every day of the year you can hear do not be afraid in the bible But he tells her to go and do it because god promises Whatever you think your jar is not going to go empty.

The flower is not going to run out Your oil is not going to run dry And so she did. She finally trusted, right? She believed in this messenger of God, this message of God through Elijah, and she trusted. And what happened? She was able to eat for a year and her son as well, and Elijah, and nothing went empty.

So God was who he said he was. A lot of times, Victor, in our difficulties, in our situations, we can forget that. We forget that God is who he says he is. And then he gives us these opportunities and these These places where maybe we’re withheld something or we feel in it was being stretched and it’s not a punishment.

It’s not a something to, to be vindictive about. He’s actually putting it as a place to stretch us for our faith. And to find greater trust in him so that we can let go some of these things in our lives that we’re so attached to And we can start depending on him instead of the things that we have around us, right?

And you know, you’ve already alluded to it, but like just just imagine if If like you’ve tried everything you have no more money. You can’t sell anything to get more food This is it come that realization that it is what it is So i’ve come to the conclusion that no matter what happens This is it, you know, and sometimes we get to that point in our lives like all right god i’m done I’m done fighting you What do you want me to do?

I give up. You know, that kind of thing and and as she was giving up on life She was like saying, you know, I’ve done everything I can and and this man’s telling me who may be a prophet Is telling me to do this and share my food How often do we share in our misery? You know what I’m saying? I mean, like, you know, it’s one of those things where, um, you know, but, but she, she, she kind of like turned it and she said, okay, sure, let’s all, let’s all eat together, you know?

Um, and because of that, that faith, you know, there’s a lot of stories where people had faith and were healed or were, were provided for, um, Um, it’s, it’s so difficult for us to kind of like, Hey, in the old, in the Old Testament was done and the New Testament was done. Why are we struggling with it so much when we know the truth, like it’s the truth and faith combined allows us to have belief.

You know, why do we struggle with that so often? No, you’re right. It’s just something we’re always going to struggle with. And that’s why. Because of that fracture in the fall and in the distrust. And that makes us think that we have to do everything ourselves, right? We become self reliant. We start to say, no, like I’ve got to make my own way and this is all on me.

And when we do that, we, we take all the power into our own hands and we, and we take the things away from God. Like control. We’re not in control of anything. He is. And that’s why he wants to surrender is he’s like, he must look at us and go, look, that’s cute, but you’re not in control of anything. I am. I know your needs.

I’m going to take care of you. But what happens is we start being self reliant and he, and even though we say, Oh, I trust God, I trust God. The moment things get difficult, we start to pull back. Instead of having open arms, we start to wrap our arms around things, especially the stuff that we don’t want to give to God.

And that’s what he’s always looking for. Us in us is. What are you going to give to me? And this widow, you know, this woman and her son, like she didn’t stop to think that the little bit I have, God gave me. Right. Right, like the stuff that I’m afraid to give to anyone else, God gave me. And if he gave me this, surely he’ll give me something else.

And it’s not in a A greedy, sort of, I’ll just sit back, lazy, sort of, not do anything and God will give me everything. No, we’re required to work. It says, pray as is everything dependent on God and work as is everything depends on you. But you still have to remember that God is the one in charge. And you have to start trusting because when you don’t, You get in this defensive posture and you start closing yourself off from God and you actually limit the things that he can do in your life because you’re not willing to give him the opportunity.

And so this widow sees that finally, thank goodness for the prophet Elijah coming. And hopefully that’s what we’re doing in our own lives. And for people listening today is to proclaim this sort of message to people that will, they’ll find help in, because what I see in this is really three things. If you go back and you look at what happened, I see a worry, I see a reminder and I see a promise, right?

Because what does she say? Like, there’s only a handful of flour in my jar and only a little of oil. So there’s the worry, right? Like, I don’t have enough, I don’t have enough to give you. Like, um, if I give you that, then, then when, and she already thought her son and her, we’re going to die, but she’s like, we’re going to die at 20 minutes earlier or 24 hours earlier.

Right. I’ve got to, I’ve got to hold onto this with those closed arms. So there’s the worry. And how many times do we have that in our life? I know. I do that in the ministry when I’m like, God, when are you going to help us grow? How are you going to help us take that next step? And he’s sitting there with a blinking light going, yeah, I need you to do that.

And that’s going to cost. And you’re going to have to get uncomfortable. You’re gonna have to spend some money that you want to store up to make sure that the ministry doesn’t, doesn’t falter or fail or go, you know, or get into trouble. You’re actually gonna have to spend some of that money to be able to, like I said, at the beginning of the show, bring on somebody and trust that that’s what I want.

I’ll give you what, what you need. And then it’ll help, right? But the thing is here, we all have those places where it’s hard. So like we have the worry, but then comes the reminder where Elijah says, Do not be afraid, right? Do not be afraid. This is the reminder that God wants to tell us all the time. Look, as we’re, as he reaches to grab something out of our hand and we were holding on refusing to let go, he constantly looks at us and says, do not be afraid.

Let go, let go of it. Let me have it. This is a burden to you. You want to be blessed, but you instead want to hold on to a burden. Let me take that from you. So that’s the reminder. And then the promise when Elijah says, it shall not run dry or go empty. Right? Like you’re not going to run out of things. It says the jar of flowers shall not go empty nor the jug of oil run dry until the day when the Lord sends rain upon the earth.

And so when she understands the promise, she then trusts and what happens? Everyone winds up being okay. Everyone winds up being able to survive. Everyone goes on about their life. Because all God needed them to do was to trust and when they did it It’s like this realization that we all realize when we when we refuse to trust we refuse to trust we’re so afraid We don’t want to take that first step.

And then when we finally do It’s like what did I worry so much for why was I so afraid like everything worked out because god cares about us And he and he lives He, he, he understands our needs and he desires our good, right? And this is what we have to remember in all this, but we see it again in the second, in the, in the second reading, like, and I love this part too, because it’s kind of, uh, it’s kind of just slid in there.

But the second reading from Sunday was Hebrews nine and it says, Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself. And then it goes on to say that he might now appear before God on our behalf. I think we forget about that, that we have this, this, this great reconciler in Jesus Christ, you know, that goes before us and reconciles us to the father and takes our needs to him.

You know, he’s the intermediary between God, the father and us through the Holy spirit. And so he appears before God on our half. That’s why he said. Ask and you shall receive, you know, knock and the door shall be open to you. Seek and you shall find. He wants us to come to him with these things so that he can take them to God and God can prove himself as to who he says he is.

Not that he needs to prove himself at all, but he can show us again and again, I am who I say I am. So finally we will trust and he doesn’t have to prove anything because we finally believe that he is who he says he is. And he shows us that. So we don’t have to doubt anymore. And this is where God wants us to be because if we’re doubting him and we’re always holding back, we can’t fully give that which he’s given us, whether it’s our spiritual gifts or monetary gifts or, or just whatever he needs us to give and to give back to others.

And this is a struggle, Victor. So we have to remember that Christ is our intermediary, that he is there going to cry to going to the father for us on our behalf. And Christ even talks about in the scriptures, how he tells us again and again, not to worry. Right, and you’re talking about, you know, going back to the delusion, the grand delusion, that we care with ourselves, that we’re in control of things.

We’re, we’re, we’re capable of doing everything and anything. But then something happens in our life. We’re at loss of jobs, something happens, you know, sickness, whatever. And like for me, when I came into Catholic faith, The rosary was an amazing thing, but also the Divine Mercy Chaplet was another thing because I realized I had a lot of, uh, anger, a lot of frustration, a lot of like, uh, issues of rejection in my life, you know, and, and not just with God, but just like things I’ve carried with me, you know?

Um, and when I learned to do Divine Mercy Chaplet, I was able to kind of like really say, you know, I trust in you, Jesus. I trust in you. I trust in you. I trust in you. Not as a mantra, but as like a, like a peeling off of like layers of just being like rough and tough and calloused, you know, over in my heart, you know?

So it’s just one of those things where when, when we get to the point where we’re fully trusting God, when we’re fully, uh, understanding the, the path that is laid before, before us with his God’s will, you know, we, we slowly Become changed in the sense of who we’re supposed to be, which is a child of God saying, father, what do you want me to do now?

What can I do today for your, your grain glory? And I think we wake up saying, God, what do you want me to do today? Jesus, what is it that you have for me to do today for somebody? Yeah, we want to be in that open arm posture, like giving back, being open to the Lord, you know, open to receive and to give versus closed off, because when we’re like that, we’re only thinking of ourselves and our needs and, you know, And we’re not offering anything back.

We’re not living in gratitude. We’re living in anxiety and worry. And, and, you know, you see the other example in the gospel readings of the widow, you know, Jesus is sitting there and he’s talking to the scribes and he’s teaching the crowds and he’s saying, beware of the scribes and all these things. And then it says he sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.

He said, many rich people put in everything, large sums. Uh, uh, put in large sums. I’m sure they made, they made a show too, where they empty a bag. Yeah. Like made it, and I made all his noise. Made it rain. Yeah. Yeah, that’s right. But no, but it says a poor widow also came in and put in two small coins worth a few cents Calling his disciples to himself.

He said to them. Amen I say to you this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth But she from her poverty has contributed all she had her whole livelihood And this is why jesus pointed this out is like this woman had nothing even what she gave was nothing It was like the most minuscule Um, monetary domination or denomination, and it wasn’t as like made of 10 or something, nothing really.

And so even though she basically had nothing and gave from nothing. And so Jesus is like, this is it you’re to give everything back to God and not to worry about what’s to happen with it. And again, this is where the church can use it to say, give, give, give, give, give, and that’s good. But what I’m saying is God is asking us to trust us with every trust him with everything that we have, everything that we have, because if we don’t, then we’re not really trusting him at all, right?

We might say, well, I’ll give you all the easy stuff, like the things I’m not really concerned about or not worried about losing or, or, you know, others parts of my life, but it’s these difficult things where we find ourselves struggling to trust in God. That’s what he wants the most. And he wants us to step out there in faith.

Because it’s in the faith that we step out in that we grow in our trust and guess what happens? It’s cyclical, right? We take that step in faith and we find greater trust. We find greater faith We find greater amounts of trust to step out further with and it’s a never ending cycle of giving ourselves back to god fully And so that’s what he’s asking of us and so many so many saints have gone before us that have talked about things like that Victor, I mean got several quotes here in saint angela mercy Says do not lose heart Even if you should discover that you lack qualities necessary for the work to which you were called, he who called you will not desert you, but the moment you’re in need, he will stretch out his saving hand.

That’s Marisie. I’m sorry. I said her last name wrong. St. Angela Marisie. And then St. Mary McKillop. I saw that God will provide the means would guide me on the way. And would provide a friend to do for me what I could not do for myself. Now, Victor, we’ve experienced that in our men’s group and in our places of poverty where the each other have raised each other up and called each other and been there and balanced for each other and supported one another when, when we were in times of need, right?

Like she’s saying, if I don’t have it, if I don’t have what it takes, if I don’t have the means, God’s not only going to guide me, but he’s going to provide other people in my life. That’s how God comes to us in each other, right? In each other. So that’s how we serve each other and give our gifts back. And offer up what God is asking us to is in and that help to one another when we can’t when we don’t have what We need whether it’s you know Sustenance lee or or just in the gifts that God is, you know, he’s asking us to do something He puts us in a partnership with people like the disciples going out two by two, right?

Right. We’re always there to support each other. But then saint francis de sales He says do not fear what may happen tomorrow the same loving father who cares for you today We’ll care for you tomorrow and every day, either he will shield you from suffering or he will give you an unfailing strength to bear it.

Be at peace then and put aside all anxious thoughts and imaginings. That’s what he says, right? Like, be at peace. And Jesus tells us the same thing in Luke, uh, 12, 30, uh, 20, 22 through 32. He talks about, you know, therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life and what you shall eat, nor about your body and what you shall put on.

For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens. They neither sow nor reap. They have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you, by being anxious, can add a cubit to a span of life? If then, if you, then, who are not able to do as a small thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?

Consider the lilies, how they grow. They neither twirl nor spin. Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will He clothe you, O men of little faith?

And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be anxious. of anxious mind for all the nations of the world. Seek these things and your father knows that you need them instead. Seek his kingdom and these things shall be yours as well. How do you seek his kingdom by trusting him, by giving yourself over completely to him and all the things that you’ve held your hand grasp around, whether it’s wounds, whether it’s your lack of finances, whether it’s, it’s your other worries in your life, right?

Your health or whatever else. Give it all to God and trust in him and find the freedom that we’re all looking for. This is what Jesus says again. And again, don’t worry. Don’t worry. What you give will be returned and in tenfold, right? I mean, how many times have we seen those things? Jesus just wants us to trust because he knows that that is the, that is the padlock that’s on the gate.

That’s not letting us out of that prison cell, right? The trust is when we unlock that, that lock and we remove it. And we can walk out and see that God is who he says he is. But we have to be able to trust and know that and this is a couple other, a couple other quotes here and then we’ll jump into some how to’s.

But St. Alphonsus Liguori says those whose hearts are enlarged by confidence in God run swiftly on the path of perfection. This is what I’m talking about getting out of that gate and having the freedom that we think isn’t gonna be there but is when we trust. He says those whose hearts are enlarged by confidence in God run swiftly on the path of perfection.

They not only run they fly because having placed all their hope in the Lord they are no longer weak as they once were. They become strong with the strength of God Which is given to all who put their trust in him. So this is like the very things that you think are going to keep you strengthened by holding on and And closing your arms and wrapping around them are the very things that are making you weak Because you’re trying to live on your own sustenance on your own provision on your own strength But god is coming in gently trying to get you to open those hands so that he can show you i’m your provision I’m what’s going to give you all those things you can trust in me.

Finally the last two father. I am seeking I am hesitant and uncertain, but will you, oh God, watch over each step of mine and guide me? St. Augustine, right? That’s a prayer right there, man. We could pray in every instance of when we find that worry and anxiety and that resistance to trusting in the provision of God.

And then finally, St. John Bosco, very simply, God will provide. These are the things that we need to remember, Victor. It’s so hard at the moment, but we have to listen to these people that went before us and to Christ himself, as they offer the path forward. To trusting in God’s provision. Yes. Well, and you know, going back to what you’re saying too, because you say so many amazing things and I want people to understand that is that we had to stop being repeating what I’ll give that to you as well, but.

But we were, we have to be very careful of like becoming the masters of our own hearts and letting Christ be the master of our heart. And there is a big difference because we know, all of us know, I know, you know, that when we try to be the masters of our own heart, we usually end in self destruction. We do something that’s harmful to ourselves, harmful to others and so forth.

So, but when you open your heart to be Christ, to be the master of your heart, uh, That’s when blessings flow. Not just monetary stuff, but just like happiness, just joy. Yeah. Just a sense of being connected with the Father and just really enjoying every moment of life. And I think that is what true joy is.

It’s just living in the moment, even though it may seem like scary or just, you know, um, you know, just, just difficult to be. But yet, when you know God, and you know Christ, and He’s in your heart, joy is the easy way to live, and it’s just the best way to live. Yeah, and it comes from that freedom that you find, because As long as we continue to pull back and we, we continue to, to kind of close off to God and we’re untrusting, we’re never going to find that freedom.

We’re always going to be anxious. We’re never going to have that peace. We’re never going to find that joy. And that’s why Christ and so many others, uh, in the saints before, you know, after him have, have just implored us to trust in God. And so I want to talk about a little bit. So how do we do it? You know, what are, what are the steps where we go?

And I would say. Number one, ask God to show you where you’re afraid to trust in His provision. You know, where, where you’re afraid to trust in Him. Because we all know where that is, right? We all know it happens at Lent when we start thinking about Ash Wednesday’s coming and then something comes to mind that we need to give God and we’re not, we’re not willing to because we’re afraid of what we’re gonna be like without it or What happens if we don’t have it or, or things like that?

Or if maybe you’re afraid that to put yourself out there, you know, that God’s calling you to something great, but you’re afraid because you feel like you don’t have enough and you don’t have the right gifts or the right talents or, or what you need to be able to, to, to do what he needs. You have to trust his provision.

So you got to take those things and take them to him in adoration or in mass or in prayer, and just finally, you know, Have the courage to just say, Lord, I’m tired of this. Like I’m tired of the anxiety, the worry. I’m tired of the lack of peace and the freedom, the lack of freedom in my life. I want to offer this to you and I’m going to trust that you’re going to take it.

And when he goes to grab it, don’t try to hold on to the, to the thread and pull it into a single thread as he takes that on and everything that you’re holding onto away from you. So you’ve got to take that first step. You’ve got to, to offer up to whatever it is that God. Is asking for or you think he needs from you and your life and trusted with an open heart that he’s gonna He’s going to be there for you and that he’s going to use it and he’s going to provide for you Uh when he when he asks for those things three whenever you feel afraid anxious or worried come back to this episode Right these quotes and verses so take that first step in prayer But there’s going to come times when the enemy comes back and goes, Well, he did it that one time, but he may not be there for you again.

Right? God’s not going to do that for you all the time. You were lucky that time. He’s going to start whispering in your ear, even though you had this great moment of trust in the Lord, that the Lord’s not going to show up again and do it. That’s not the truth. That’s just him, because he knows. And he’s afraid that you’re taking steps in the right direction.

You’re taking steps further away from him. And when you start coming to trust from God, he’s going to lose you forever. And so come back when you feel worried, anxious rings or, or, or afraid, you know, when you feel that fear in the next decision or the next thing the Lord asked for, remember, Hey, last time I gave that to the Lord and he was who he says he was, and so there’s no reason for you not to believe that he won’t be again.

So here you go again, Lord. So come back to. this episode to these quotes, the verses we’ve talked about here, then allow yourself to be stretched. Part of trust is not feeling comfortable, right? I mean, that’s the hardest part of trust is feeling uncomfortable. And so many of us stop short and we pull back before we ever get to see, to fully trust in the Lord and to see the rewards and the benefits of doing so.

We pull back because the devil convinces us that God isn’t who he says he is. Or we convince ourselves that we’re not going to be okay if we let go of these things. And so we try to hoard them and we get in this tug of war with God, which we wind up losing, right? So we have to allow ourselves to be stretched.

It’s in the stretching. It’s not a punishment. It’s an invitation to grow in trust so our faith can grow and we can grow in a deeper relationship with God through his son Jesus Christ. So allow yourself to be stretched. Five, look at the results and then return to them. Right? Remember that, okay, I did this.

God is who he says he is. So I just need to step out there and bolder courage and trust and fortitude each and every time that I have something God wants or I feel I’m being called to because if I’m doing the right things and I’m living the way that God’s calling me to, He’s not going to let me down.

He’s not going to let me fall. That’s what we need to remember. And then finally, number six, this is the biggest point of all. Remember this, why would Jesus Christ Choose to go through the most painful and torturous death ever to leave the throne of heaven and to come down here to Take on flesh and to be tortured and killed if he wasn’t trustworthy Why would we sit there and go what I mean?

We need to ask ourselves Why would he go through that and then leave me with nothing? Why would he go through that great act of act of sacrifice and then not be there for me all the time in my life? That is love what he did was the greatest sacrifice of love the world has ever seen or ever will see And in that love, he knows our needs and he’s never going to abandon us.

Why would he go through all that trouble and then leave us to just, to just have nothing, right? So he’s going to provide for us. We’ve got to trust in the provision of God. We matter and Jesus cares about our needs more than anything. He knows them and he wants to see to him, but he can’t fully do that until we start trusting that God is who he says he is, that God has us and that we can trust in his provision.

Very good. Yeah, I got it. Well, I mean, I just, it’s something people may say, John, you were talking a mile a minute and gosh, you were so passionate this time and Victor was too. It’s because this is one of my largest problems. This is probably the biggest problem in my life is God has proven himself again and again and again to be quit a job.

Here’s, you know, here’s another job, lose that job, start your own ministry. Don’t have any money. Here’s a conference company to keep you going until you get your ministry up and running. Right. Don’t have a plan. Here comes a friend, Ryan, that helps you build all this out, right? You don’t have enough money.

Here comes several thousand donors or hundreds of donors. We have now, whatever that number is. That have given again and again and again, because God wants this mission and he’s going to give you what you need. And so I often go, John, when are you going to quit banging your head against the wall and do this?

So I realize I struggle in this, so other people have to too. So folks, I hope that you found some help in this. I hope you could take those steps, those verses, those quotes, and just the conversation Victor and I’ve had and start to put it into your life. I know that’s going to be prayer in my life, my prayer in my own life each and every day.

So Victor, let’s take this to prayer and ask for God’s help and support in trusting in his provision in the name of the father and the son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Heavenly father, thank you for bringing this topic to mind. Uh, all of us struggle with giving you completely everything in our life. We struggle with trusting you.

It’s part of the fall, but it’s also because At the end of the day, we feel like we have to see to ourselves and we have to provide, but God, you are provider. That is what you want to do for us more than anything is to provide us with our needs so that we can go out worry free and become the people that you ask us to be.

So Father, I want to end this prayer with the words of St. Augustine to sit here and to spur us all on and to remember this in these times of struggle and worry, anxiety, and fear. Father, I am seeking, I am hesitant and uncertain, but will you, O God, Father, please answer that prayer for us the way that you so boldly did for him.

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.