Seeking God in ZECHARIAH

“And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.” ZECHARIAH 13:9

F

or those of us who grew up in an environment of scarcity, wrapping our minds around the Lord’s abundance can be a challenge. Looking around, we finally learn an invaluable lesson thanks to "Holy Poverty" -as St. Francis used to call it-: learning to place our trust in God’s providence, rather than the world' system. Our source is not the stock market, cyclical economic booms, or even rich relatives. Leaning on Him is acknowledging that our God never forsakes us. Regardless of how dim our circumstances might look, the Word assures us that He is our salvation. Prosperity must never become an idol in the life of a saint. And renouncing the greed of this world does not mean that our needs will go unattended.

Rejoice during your trials, but do not run away like Jonah. Mind the end from the beginning: purified gold after the fire. God’s hands are molding you from the inside out, purifying you into being a living reflection of Christ. We are His for eternity; He is ours, the most sacred covenant we can ever uphold. When you are tempted to put aside His ways –even for a brief moment-, resist. You can act like the world, but you are not the world. The burden in your life is to walk the straight line of faith, the narrow path. Never confuse ability with responsibility. Being singled out for a special purpose implies letting go of everything that does not align with the mission. Will you feel alone and naked at times? Sure, but remember who stands next to you, holding your hand from the very beginning. Better to be bare in God’s presence than to be clothed with the filth of sin.