Reach out to God, for he is listening to us

By Jenna Ebener
A reflection

I have been continuing to ponder the meaning of Holy Week. I recently read an interesting insight about Good Friday that has captivated my mind and my heart. In Bob Schuchts’ book, “Be Healed,” he describes how Jesus did not give up on God while he was dying on the cross: “Though he felt abandoned by him, he continued to turn towards him … he did not internalize the lie that he was alone or unheard … No one cries out unless he believes someone is listening.”

I cannot stop thinking about that last statement. Even though Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46), he remained aware of God’s presence. He knew God was listening and somehow would still take care of him.

Jesus was aptly showing the charism of faith. As defined in “The Catholic Spiritual Gifts Inventory” by Sherry Weddell, “the charism of faith empowers a Christian to be an effective agent of God’s purposes through an unusual trust in the love, power, and provision of God and a remarkable freedom to act on this trust.”

I took the Called and Gifted Program in 2015 and faith was and remains, my top charism. Perhaps that is why I feel drawn to this thought. Faith is trust in God, trust that somehow things will work out even when all seems lost. I have seen this charism come into play in my life on a daily basis. Sometimes, the event is large, such as trusting God’s nudge to drop my plans immediately to become a biologist and to become a social worker instead, working with a population with whom I had no experience and moving to Colorado even though I did not know anyone.

Most times though, the act of faith is very small. When something unexpected happens, whether that is a car cutting in front of me or me dropping a glass, I instinctively cry out “help!” to my Father. When things go wrong, like being lost and having a dead cell phone or losing my keys in the dark and I feel hopeless and desperate, God answers my plea. When I have been in my darkest moments and despair consumes me, I cry in agony to my God.

There is not always an immediate answer, but that quote from Schuchts’ book both comforts and reminds me — I would not cry out if I did not believe in my God. Something instinctual causes me to reach out for him; sometimes I run to him in adoration or journaling but most of the time I simply call out his name. It would be great if calling out to God immediately fixed my problems, but the simple act of calling out to him reminds me of his unconditional love. It reminds me of the refrain from the song “Somebody Loves You” by Plumb: “And I can’t fix you. And I can’t change you. But I can love you. Just the way you are.”

God loves each of us exactly as we are. Even if it is not instinctual to reach out to him now, keep trying, for he is listening to every word we have to say.

(Jenna Ebener, a graduate of St. Ambrose University in Davenport, is a social worker at a school in Colorado for students with a combination of medical, cognitive and behavior disabilities. She relies on God every day to aid her on this wonderful, yet intense journey.)