Trust in God

One of my grandmothers, who is 87 years old, lives in an assisted living facility in Richardson. She moved to this facility two years ago from east Texas because my grandfather passed away, and she was diagnosed with dementia. Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, I was concerned for her health and gave her a call. Grandma was jovial; she shared how kind the staff is and how loved her family makes her feel. We had a delightful conversation and throughout the phone call, Grandma made sure to remind me to “Trust in God”. For example, while I told her about all the papers I have to write in graduate school, Grandma said, “Oh, trust in God, He will help you get through it”. When I asked how she was adapting to the coronavirus, she responded, “Oh, I am keeping my distance and washing my hands. But most importantly, I am trusting in God”. At the end of our conversation, Grandma parted me with, “Remember, always trust in God. He will never abandon you”.

The title of today’s first reading is, “Plot Against Jeremiah” with God revealing to Jeremiah that he will suffer and be persecuted: “I know their plot because the Lord informed me”. The reading is also a part of a larger narrative about Jeremiah having to trust in God. Although, in verse 20, Jeremiah is confident with God saying, “for to you I have entrusted my cause!”, in the next chapter (Jer 12:1), he questions God, expressing his discontent because he, a loyal follower of God, is left with a future of suffering and uncertainty while his enemies continue to prosper: “Why does the way of the wicked prosper?”. Later in the chapter God does affirm Jeremiah that justice for his enemies will eventually arrive stating, “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance… I will uproot them from their lands”. (Jer 12:14) However, before promising justice for Jeremiah, God uses a metaphor of a race to warn Jeremiah that his situation will get worse: “How if you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? (Jer 12:5). Here, the bible illustrates that God is with Jeremiah during his trial; however, just because God will answer Jeremiah’s prayers does not mean He will alleviate the suffering that precedes His promise.

In today’s reading, we are reminded that suffering is an invitation to lean on God even more. When my grandmother told me to trust in God, she was not insinuating that I should relinquish my responsibilities to Him. Instead, Grandma was challenging me to rely on God’s strength, rather than my own, in the face of adversity. Today’s news about Covid-19 are filled with uncertainty, chaos, and fear with headlines such as, “It will get worse before it gets better”. Hospitals are overrun with patients, healthcare workers are burned out and lack resources, unemployment has skyrocketed, and schools are shutting their doors. As bleak as the future seems, let us continue to pray for wisdom and understanding and remind ourselves that God has not abandoned us. Already coronavirus tests are becoming more available, schools are reinventing their curriculum, shelves are being restocked, hospitals are receiving more ventilators, and our government actually passed a relief bill. The challenge is not over, and the worse may still be ahead of us, but if we continue to trust in God, just as He commanded Jeremiah, we will persevere.

Author: Joseph Harwerth, Technology