November 3, 2023

Letters to the Editor

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Reader advises us to overcome our fear in trusting in God and following his will

“Fiduciatheophobia” is the fear of trusting in God.

Somewhere in our lives and stories, we are afraid of what would happen if we were to trust God fully—with all our mind, heart and soul.

Our Western culture likes to trust what we can see, measure and predict.

We like five-year plans and long-range goals. We see history as linear, and the lack of contradiction as the test for all truth. We want our future to be planned and predictable.

But we cannot see God, and we cannot plan or predict his will. The greatest obstacle standing between most of us and our obedience to God, is our fear of following God’s will.

And so we’re afraid that he will ask more of us than we can give, more than we are able to do or give to him. He’ll ask us to teach when we can’t teach, or to give more than we can give.

Or we’re afraid that he’ll ask more of us than we want to give, that he’ll lead us where we don’t want to go, that the price of following him will be higher than we want to pay.

What are you afraid to surrender to the will and purpose of God today? There are times when we’re all afraid that God will ask of us more than we think we can do, or give.

- Kirth N. Roach | Order of Carmelite Discalced Secular, Indianapolis

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