SAINT ALOYSIUS GONZAGA, RELIGIOUS (MEMORIAL)

For six years he remained hidden in the temple of the Lord, while Athaliah ruled the land.

Six long years under the evil and oppressive leadership of a tyrannical queen! Athaliah had laid claim to the throne of Judah after she had systematically killed off all the other members of the royal family. Only Joash, the rightful heir to the throne, survived the massacre and was hidden away. What’s worse, under Athaliah, God’s chosen people were forced to worship the false god Baal.

Centuries prior to this, God had sworn to David that his kingdom would endure forever. But now it seemed that this promise was in jeopardy. True, the rightful heir to the throne was alive, but God was not stepping in to make things right. Why did he delay?

Just as it was to these Israelites, God’s timing is often mysterious to us. It can be a huge test of our faith when we want to see God act in a certain way and he seems to be completely absent. For instance, you may know that God wants to help you provide for your family, but you have not received a single job interview out of the mountain of applications you’ve submitted. It could be difficult not to lose hope in such a situation. Or perhaps you have prayed many times to be healed from some physical, emotional, or spiritual ailment, but the weight of the burden has not yet been lifted. It may be hard to see how God could bring anything good out of such pain.

The people of Judah were being led away from the Lord, but God still had a plan to reestablish the rightful king and bring the people back into right relationship with him. Perhaps right now you can’t see clearly how God’s good plan is unfolding in your life. But God is always with you. He has good things in store for you—even if they’re not exactly what you are looking for.

So don’t lose hope! Stay close to the Lord, and continue to bring your needs before him each day. It may take six weeks, six months, or even six years, but God always shows up for his people. With his help, be patient and trust that he will fulfill all his promises.

“Lord, even when I don’t understand your timing, help me believe that you are good and that you care for me.”

2 Kings 11:1-4, 9-18, 20
Psalm 132:11-14, 17-18
Matthew 6:19-23