What is Divine Providence? How to trust it

[Writer_for_God]

Hi everyone,
I am trying to read through all of St Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica, which for anyone who has a Kindle, you can buy for like a dollar or two on Amazon. The translation I use is great and it has all the books of it. But it is really long, twice as long as the Bible, and I put it down a lot, and only come back to it far later.

But I just read the questions about fate, which I didn’t realize he wrote about until tonight. It’s kind of interesting that I get to this part on Martin Luther King Day. While I have moved away from MLK’s very liberal theology, it was MLK who first introduced me to Jesus Christ. In particular, I was very interested in MLK’s writings and speeches he gave about the different kinds of love that the Greek language had, distinguishing between agape, eros, philios, etc. I remember reading MLK’s writings where he would encourage his followers in the Civil Rights movement that they had to love their enemies. People were confused about Jesus’ command to love their enemies, because people often think of love in terms of romance and eros, which is not the kind of love that Jesus was talking about. MLK would tell people they had to have agapic love for the racists or the oppressors or the people who hated them, not romantic or erotic love, but the kind of love that wants to convert and improve the person who is hurting them, like Jesus did on the Cross.

But to get to my question, the questions of Aquinas on Fate referenced his earlier questions on Divine Providence. I have recently come to realize how much anxiety I have about the future, about my life, about my vocation, etc. And I have realized that I do not have a real firm grasp of what God’s Divine Providence is. In reference to the popular spiritual classic of Fr Caussade, I lack trust and abandonment to Divine Providence. I wanted to throw this question out, so that I may understand better “What is Divine Providence? And how can I trust in God’s Providence better?” I have exercised my mental muscles of doubt, fear, worry, and mistrust so much that is has become hard for me to trust God. I especially realized this when I went to confession this Saturday before Mass. My pastor asked me if I believe that God wants the best for me, and wants to bless me and my family, and all I could muster was “I guess…” to which my pastor replied, “You have to trust Him more that just guess…”

So I would like to solicit your explanations and advice to help me understand and trust God’s Providence better, and please pray for me and others to understand and trust it as well. If you know any other books or writings or other media on the subject, please mention them. I know of a book by Fr. Reginald Garrigou-Lagrange, but I would like to know of any other good ones on the subject as well.

But thank you all for all your prayers, and responses to other posts I have made here. I hope this thread, ironically, is a source of blessing for us all in our journey with God.

Thank you.
God bless you all. Amen.

 

[petra22]

I like how this came up on MLK,JR DAY!!! Praying for you to find your answers. I don’t have any readings to suggest. I just know that God is good and he wants good for us. Man is not always good and causes bad things to happen sometimes, but God will turn the bad into good. It is impossible for us to think like God.

 

[Vico]

…
“What is Divine Providence? And how can I trust in God’s Providence better?”
…
I would like to know of any other good ones on the subject as well.
…

Catholic Encylopedia

Providence in general, or foresight, is a function of the virtue of prudence, and may be defined as the practical reason, adapting means to an end. As applied to God, Providence is God Himself considered in that act by which, in His wisdom, He so orders all events within the universe, that the end for which it was created may be realized. That end is that all creatures should manifest the glory of God, and in particular that man should glorify Him, recognizing in nature the work of His hand, serving Him in obedience and love, and thereby attaining to the full development of his nature and to eternal happiness in God. The universe is a system of real beings created by God and directed by Him to this supreme end, the concurrence of God being necessary for all natural operations, whether of things animate or inanimate, and still more so for operations of the supernatural order. God preserves the universe in being; He acts in and with every creature in each and all its activities. In spite of sin, which is due to the wilful perversion of human liberty, acting with the concurrence, but contrary to the purpose and intention of God and in spite of evil which is the consequence of sin, He directs all, even evil and sin itself, to the final end for which the universe was created. All these operations on God’s part, with the exception of creation, are attributed in Catholic theology to Divine Providence.

Walker, L. (1911). Divine Providence. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12510a.htm

John 14

1 Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many mansions. If not, I would have told you: because I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I shall go, and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will take you to myself; that where I am, you also may be. 4 And whither I go you know, and the way you know.

16 And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you for ever.

Matthew 28

19 Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:

and behold I am with you all days, even to the consummation of the world.

 

[Ordinary]

So I would like to solicit your explanations and advice to help me understand and trust God’s Providence better, and please pray for me and others to understand and trust it as well.

Well, I can’t speak for the Church here but I can speak from personal experience.

1. The divine liturgy is the unfolding of salvation history in the present. It is as if we have a game plan that helps us anticipate the unfolding of salvation in the present tense. Look at the missal, what does it say? How does it relate to your life subjectively? Does anything strike out at you in a meaningful and powerful way?
2. The closer you draw to God and are under the guidance and prompting of the Holy Spirit, the more you’ll find you’ll want to confirm your life in accordance to the Divine Liturgy Of The Catholic Church. I can’t quite put it into words except that there is a very mystical connection…
3. Okay, ever go about your day and then face a choice where you ought to do good or end up sinning in accordance with your conscious only to go to Mass and the priest delivers a sermon based EXACTLY on that situation? DIVINE PROVIDENCE at work. I think this is what a lot of people face in their lives whether Protestant or not and they just do not draw the connection all the time. I wondered for a while what this was and brought it up with my priest and asked if it was some kind of gift or grace from God. Then I learned about God’s unfolding of the salvation history in the present and began to see much more greater and frequent connections. Then it made much more sense.
4. Someone who does not go to church and is not under the prompting of the Holy Spirit and is of the flesh will most likely go to Mass or read the missal, hear the Liturgy, then think it not only makes little sense in how it is pieced together but that the readings may seem they are not connected at all with themselves or their own life.
5. So, I invite you to read the Liturgy at the end of your day and think how it related to your life as you meditate on it. Reflect.
6. God’s providence works for the good of those who love him. Romans 8:28, so the more you love him, the more God’s providence works for your good You’ll see what I mean as you love him more and more. And you’ll know what I’m talking about.

In my experience, God gives us freedom in how we love him just as us fathers gives our own children much freedom to love us. I can’t speak for God here but in my experience, sometimes when I thought my own choice was mine, sometimes I wonder if it really was at all mine to begin with. I can’t explain really because it is a mystery. I do know God guides the steps even though many are our plans.

 

[Ordinary]

Lately, I’ve been dealing with a lot of falsehoods and afflictions. I started swearing oaths because I got so tired of them, to the point of impraccatory oaths. I’ve watched a particular someone I know who tried to persecute me be delivered into my hands due to blunders they made after the oath while things worked together for my own good. I also based some of my choices and actions on the divine liturgy. It wasn’t the first time. I’ve seen myself be delivered from some serious troubles and, in God’s providence, all things work together for my own good as I seek to enter the Church, against the odds. Truly amazing. I am really afraid of the Lord and do not want to displease him nor have him set his face against me!

So keep that in mind. God’s providence is really amazing and awesome. So, I invite you to trust in him and love him and draw close. You won’t be disappointed.

Start with baby steps if you lack the trust and the faith. As long as you are willing and love him, then I’m confident he’ll meet you half way as you you seek to grow in faith, hope and charity in co-operating with his divine providence as you try to understand it better. Ask God to give you knowledge and wisdom and seek the guidance of your guardian angel too.