Have you ever known someone who truly trusted God? When I was an atheist, I had a friend for whom prayer was a regular thing. Every week she told me about some problem she had with faith that God would take care of that problem. And I saw every week how God extraordinarily answered her prayers. Can you imagine how hard it was for me – an atheist – to see this week after week? After a while, the “coincidence” argument seemed pretty weak.

Why did God answer the friend’s prayers? The biggest reason was that she had a relationship with him. She followed God and listened to him. She said God had the right to rule her life, and she even welcomed it! Her prayers were a natural part of her relationship with God. She had no problem going to God with her needs, worries, fears, and anything that came her way. She was convinced that God wanted her to rely on him completely in everything.

The verses guided it: “And we have firm confidence in him that he hears us whenever we ask for something according to his will”    and  “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, his ears are attentive to their supplications, but the face of the Lord is against what they do wrong.”

Why doesn’t God answer everyone’s prayers?

Maybe because they are not in a relationship with God. They know that God exists, and sometimes they ask him for something, but their prayers are not answered because they have no close relationship with him. Moreover, they may be living in their sins without experiencing God’s forgiveness.

You ask what sins have to do with prayer. Here is the explanation: “Behold, the hand of the Lord is not so short that it cannot save, and his ear is not so deaf that it cannot hear. It is your sins that have become an obstacle between you and your God, and your sins have covered his face from you so that he does not hear…

How prayer works

If you want God to hear you, you must first establish a personal relationship with him. Why? Imagine a situation where you ask the president to finance your university studies. If you don’t know the president personally, you probably won’t get any money for your studies. But if you are the president’s son – that is, you are asking your father – there would be no problem with your request! The relationship is important.

When a person is a child of God and belongs to God, God knows him and hears his prayers. Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd.” I know my sheep, and my sheep know me.” He goes on to say: “My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will not perish forever, no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

So when it comes to God, do you know him and does he know you? Do you have a relationship with him that would answer your prayers? Or do you have some idea about him, but he is distant from you, and you live your life without him? If God is distant from you, or you are not sure if you are his child, here you will learn how you can establish a close relationship with him: Would you like to know God personally?

Surely God will answer your prayer?

For those who know him and rely on him in everything, Jesus’ generous and extravagant offer applies:  “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.”   ” Abiding ” in him and allowing his words to abide in us means that we live our lives according to him, relying on him and obeying what he tells us. Only when we live in such a close union with him will we be able to ask for anything we want? For as it is written: “We have firm confidence in him that he hears us whenever we ask anything according to his will.” And if we know that he hears us whenever we ask for something, we also know that we already have what we asked him for.”   God answers our prayers according to his will (and also based on his wisdom, love for us, holiness, and many other factors).

We saw in the previous verse that God will always answer those prayers that are by his will. However, sometimes it may seem to us that we know God’s will, but it may not be so. We assume that there is only one correct “answer” to our prayer, and therefore we believe that THIS should be God’s will. This is exactly where it all gets messy. We live in limited time and with limited knowledge. We have only limited information about the given situation and its consequences and impacts in the future. However, God’s understanding is unlimited. After all, only he knows how some things will develop in life or history. God may have purposes that are far beyond our understanding and that we cannot even imagine. The fact that we have concluded that something must be his will does not mean that God will act that way.

What does it entail? What is God willing to do?

There is an awful lot that we could write about God’s intentions for us. The entire Bible describes what kind of relationship God intends to have with us, and what kind of life he wants to give us. Here are just a few examples:

“The Lord waits to have mercy on you, he rises to show you mercy; for the Lord is a God of justice; blessed is everyone who waits for him.”   Do you get it? As someone who is getting up from his chair to come to your aid, so the Lord is getting up to “show you mercy”!

“With you, I will surely break through the enemy’s ranks, with my God I will also jump over the wall.”

“The Lord delights in those who fear him, in those who rely on his mercy.” 

However, the greatest manifestation of his love and devotion is this:  “Greater love has no one than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”  This is exactly what Jesus did for us!

“What can I add to that? If God is for us, who is against us? How could he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, not give us everything with him?” 

What about “unanswered” prayers?

It is obvious that people get sick and even die, have real financial difficulties, and experience very difficult situations. What about that?

God tells us to cast all our cares on Him. Even if the situation seems hopeless,  “Throw all your worries on Him, for He will take care of you.” [13]  Sometimes it may seem to us that the circumstances are out of control and there is no way out – but this is not true. When it seems like the whole world is falling apart, God holds us in his arms. It is then that we should be most grateful for knowing God. “The Lord is near! Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with Thanksgiving present your requests to God in your prayers. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” 

God often provides unexpected solutions to our problems. Many Christians can attest to this from personal experience. Even when circumstances don’t change, God can give us supernatural peace amidst the challenges. As Jesus promised, “I give you my peace, not as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or afraid.”

In difficult moments, God asks us to trust him, living by faith rather than our circumstances. This trust is like a car passing over a bridge – despite the driver’s feelings or thoughts, the vehicle’s safe passage ultimately relies on the strength and structure of the bridge, which the driver trusts to hold it.

Likewise, God wants us to trust in his strength, his character…his compassion, his love, his wisdom, his justice. God is on our side! He says: “… I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have kept you in favor.” and “People, hope in him at all times, pour out your hearts before him! God is our refuge.”

As God’s children, we have the privilege of bringing our prayers to Him, believing that He will care for our needs according to His will. When facing struggles, we are invited to cast our worries on Him and receive His supernatural peace. Our hope and faith are rooted in God’s nature, and as we deepen our understanding of who He is, our trust in Him will grow.

A young Indian hunter trekked to the river, armed with a slingshot, to hunt wild ducks. Collecting frogs along the shore, he started launching them at the ducks waddling nearby. With just two frog-propelled shots, he hit and killed two ducks, although the projectiles splashed into deep water. Satisfied, the young man headed back to the city with two ducks in his backpack and a single frog in hand.

A jeweler stopped him near the bazaar and exclaimed in surprise: “Boy, you have a diamond in your hand that is worth at least a thousand rupees!” The young hunter turned pale and cried in despair: “But I am a fool! I used the diamonds to kill two ducks… If I had looked at them carefully, I would have been rich now, and this is how the water took them all away!”

Each day is like a precious diamond. It is important to realize this and not waste the hunt.

The same can happen with our prayer. I must know how to use the correct method, and if I find it, I must know how to use it correctly.

The method enables us to pray. It is an excellent and valuable prayer aid because we must do it with a technique. As the masters of the spiritual life teach, the process is a great help to those who begin their relationship with God; a method is needed for them. However, for those already “advanced,” the process may not always be useful. Opinions differ on this. Some say the technique is necessary for everyone, while others do not. It can be more of a danger for the more advanced. “There is only one norm for them: to be guided by the Spirit of God, which comes, and you do not know where it comes from and where it is going.”

Be that as it may, the method is necessary, despite the speculation about it. Every person is an original. And every method is and will be original. However, unless a praying person develops his own method of meditation, he has no choice but to use those already tried and tested. The methods are different, different from each other, and have their characteristics. We know the Ignatian method (according to St. Ignatius of Loyola), the Sulpician method (this is a French school of spirituality from the 17th century, named after the parish of St. Sulpice in Paris; its representative was Cardinal Peter de Berulle), the Carmelite method, and others. The Carmelite Method is not even a method. Instead, it is prayer itself.

What is a method?

The method is not the goal of prayer. It is only a means to an end. The characteristic of each method is to help the praying person to get close to God, that is, to be with him (cf. Mk 4, 13). Each of us has our way of praying, so we cannot convulsively stick to a fixed method. If I get in touch with God at the first point of the process (they will be discussed later), that is thorough enough for my prayer. The goal of worship is not me but God, my conversation with HIM.

Let’s try to think about the individual points of the contemplative method:

1. Preparation

How I prepare for prayer depends on its entire later course. We discussed preparation in one of the previous catechesis: External conditions of worship. Let’s think about the preparation in a little more detail.

We distinguish distant, closer, close, and immediate preparation. Remote preparation takes up our whole life, our work, and everything related to the life of prayer. Sv. In her work The Way to Perfection, Teresa of Jesus mentions three virtues that are necessary for our life of prayer: mortification, humility, and mutual love. We will try to acquire these three virtues throughout our lives. In the spiritual life, this is called asceticism.

The second essential preparation is the closer one. It consists in preparing a thought for contemplation. It can be some truth of faith, experience, or moral conflict. If I want to experience the prayer well, I must prepare well. That is why it is important to prepare for worship in the evening. It consists of choosing some passage thoughts that will help me later in prayer. Various books can help us – and do help us – in meditation; however, they can often cause us that these “artificial meditations” may not appeal to us and do not lead us to the essence. The best aid for meditation will be the Gospel – living water. Sv. Thérèse of Lisieux commented on this extraordinary aid – the Gospel – as follows: “Even if I open a book by a spiritual writer (how beautiful and touching), I immediately feel that my heart is constricted, and I read in such a way that I hardly understand it, or if I also understand, my mind stops and I cannot meditate… In this helplessness, the Holy Scriptures and Following Christ come to my aid. I find in them a strong and quite pure dish. But in contemplation, I run above all to the Gospel, where I find everything necessary for my poor soul. I keep discovering new lights in it, a hidden and mysterious meaning.” (Vol. 1: Story of my soul, 83vo, p. 214.)

How should we proceed when choosing a text? Fundamentally, we choose a text that is for us. Nothing difficult. A state that is short and short. The optimal length of a state for meditation is eight verses. It can be a story from Jesus’ life (calling disciples, healing the sick, resurrection, conversation, for example, with a Samaritan woman…) We should prepare this text in the evening to use it in meditation in the morning. When we do not understand the text, we can also look for commentary to clarify some things. It should be an appropriate comment, preferably a Catholic one. Sv. Ignatius of Loyola said we should fall asleep with the text and return to it while sleeping or waking up. You may be wondering if this is possible. It is likely because even if we watch a movie in the evening, we often dream about different scenes from this movie, think about them, and even return to them the next day. So why shouldn’t we do the same with text? What is important is that during the “near” preparation, we look for “material” to meditate on and that this “material” helps us find the answer to our question.

Immediate preparation begins before the prayer itself. One must realize the moment of silence, which is very important. If I want to know how to pray, I must also know how to be silent. Sv. Teresa of Jesus (of Avila) recommends that the person praying should pray before the prayer itself. This is how he invites God into a mutual conversation. I concentrate on the closeness of God; I realize who I am standing in front of or what prayer position I am in right now. He is here, and I am standing in front of him. Many complain that they are not good at prayer, find it difficult to pray, and cannot even concentrate. Even if I were to focus all the time dedicated to worship and still struggle with being constantly aware of God’s nearness, it is not wasted time. The very desire to pray is prayer. Even if my prayer is focused on immediate preparation all the time, this time will be well spent.

2. Reading

Reading as a separate part of contemplative prayer should be discussed separately because it is already partially included in the preparation for prayer. However, it belongs to contemplative prayer, it is part of it. In what sense? We said that we would choose a suitable text in the evening. We did it. During the day, but also during the prayer itself, it would be advisable to return to this text more often. We have already talked about suitable reading. “The reading at the beginning of the prayer is not an ordinary spiritual reading. Prayer does not consist of reading. It’s just preparation. It is recommended to read for about 5 minutes. Even prepared meditations should fit into the mentioned time. I should read to help myself, not to read out of curiosity. If the reading is extended, it causes distraction in us, and constant reading can also be an escape from prayer, which is not what God wants from us. Saint Teresa of Jesus mentions the book during meditation. But it’s just a tool to help me arouse my desire for God with some suitable text – if I can’t concentrate. However, if I don’t read a book at all during prayer, it can border on pride, and in the practical life of prayer, a void can emerge. Contemplation fills this void. Through our senses and feelings, we navigate and meditate. When we find a passage or event from Jesus’ life that resonates with us, we enter a conversation with Him or other characters from the story. This is not a study session, but an encounter with Jesus. We can aid our imagination with a suitable picture of Jesus. As St. Theresa of Jesus recommends, a friendly conversation with Jesus is the goal of contemplation, fostering a spiritual friendship that extends beyond prayer to a deeper way of life, characteristic of Carmelite spirituality.

St. Theresia is conscientious that we perceive Jesus – his humanity – realistically. She writes: “Since I did not know how to think with my mind, I adhered to this way of praying. I tried to imagine Christ in my sou and succeeded best in meditating on those mysteries in which I observed him alone… That was my way of prayer.” Imagination plays a big role in prayer. Contemplation by reason is not the essence of worship. Prayer cannot be thinking but loving, as Teresa said from Jesus. And what about those who can’t imagine anything? When does the image fade or dissolve quickly? Such people should not strain themselves with imagination but should emphasize emotional movements.

3. The prayer itself

If we set out to pray 30 minutes a day, everything we have said so far should fit into 10 minutes. What about those remaining minutes? Prayer itself means looking to Him. To be with him and in front of him as I am. “Contemplation must bring the person praying before the living God. He must realize his holy reality, he must seek his holy face. A dialogue arises where the human “I” stands against the divine “you“ – against God.“ St. John of the Cross calls it: being in front of and with him, looking at him, finding love in him. Teresa of Jesus calls it a loving relationship with God. Prayer grows and, over time, only requires a few words. It becomes more and more simple. It becomes contemplation.

4. Resolution

The fruit of prayer is determination, which consists of a determined desire to serve God and neighbors more perfectly and with greater zeal. If this does not happen, something is wrong in our prayer, something is missing. Therefore, prayer should invite us to constantly work on ourselves, not waste God’s opportunities, and discover him as a precious diamond.

WE ARE ALL CREATED in God’s image and likeness and have an inner desire to be united with our Creator. This is manifested, among other things, in a constant effort to get to know him better. However, our intelligence alone cannot gain access to its innermost secrets. Therefore, the most profound things we know about God are what we have received through Revelation, what He has made known to us through inspired writers and prophets, and above all, through His own Son.

When the apostle Philip asked Jesus to show them the Father, the answer was immediate: “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9). Christ is the image of the Father. The invisible God who appeared to Moses as a burning bush now has a face and hands. In addition, he appeared as a child in Bethlehem to a shepherd (cf. Lk 2, 16-18), as a teenager among the teachers of the Law (Lk 2, 41-50), as a penitent before John the Baptist (Mt 1, 4-11). His many manifestations are an image of the Triune God who walks among people. For this reason, one of the best ways to know God is to read and meditate on the Gospel.

St. Josemaría wrote: “Every time I preach in front of the nativity scene, I try to look at Christ, our Lord, as a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger on straw. And even though he is still tiny and doesn’t talk, you can see the Master and the Teacher in him. I need to look at him like that because I’m supposed to learn from him. And so that you and I can learn from him, we must try to get to know his life – read the Holy Gospel and meditate on the scenes described to us in the New Testament to uncover the divine meaning of his earthly journey” [1]. When reading the Gospel, the Holy Spirit speaks to our soul; by showing us more and more deeply who God is, he also shows us our deepest essence: by revealing God to us, he reveals ourselves.

Discovering God in creation …

Many artists often reflect a part of themselves in their works, whether consciously or unconsciously. Similarly, God imprinted a part of himself when he created the world. “Besides the Revelation itself, contained in the Holy Scriptures, there is a divine manifestation when the sun shines and when the night falls “[2]. Through creation, we can enter into the knowledge of God; what fascinates us when we contemplate a sea, a mountain, or a sunset reflects aspects of its nature. In contemplating creation, we can discover something about it that the Lord wants to pass on to us. “Faith therefore involves being able to recognize the invisible by discerning its traces in the visible world. A person of faith can read the great book of nature and understand its language (cf. Psalm 19, 2-5)”.

“The entire material universe is the language of God’s love, God’s boundless affection for us. Land, water, mountains, everything is God’s caress” [4]. Saint Francis of Assisi knew how to recognize this language in everything. Therefore, his Heart needed to thank God for everything that came out of his hands: for the sun, because it illuminates our day; for the moon and stars that show us beauty; for the wind and the clouds that give us sustenance…[5] As the Catechism of the Church teaches, “the various creatures that God willed in their being reflected, each in their way, a ray of God’s infinite wisdom and goodness” [6]. This contemplative spirit led the three youths to sing when God saved them from martyrdom: “Bless the Lord, sun and moon, praise him and exalt him forever. Bless the Lord, stars of heaven, praise him and exalt him forever” (Dan 3, 62-63), and after them all mountains, peaks, birds, wild animals and springs.

Simple in Heart… 

“I PRAISE YOU, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little ones” (Mt 11, 25). God wanted to reveal himself to everyone, and simplicity of Heart is the best way to know him. In the Old Testament, when the prophet Samuel was looking for a new king for Israel, the chosen one was David, the youngest of the brothers, whom his Father did not consider a possible candidate. When Jesus considered who would be the pillars of God’s new people, the Church, he chose men who were not distinguished by wisdom: almost all of them were ordinary people who earned their living by manual labor.

Sometimes, we may think the Lord chooses us because of our qualities. In addition to the biblical texts showing us the opposite – that God chooses the weak – such an approach is dangerous because it cannot sustain us when we experience our weakness. That is why St. Paul called on the Corinthian Christians to reflect on the uniqueness of their calling: “Just look at your calling, brothers, that there are not many wise according to the flesh, nor many mighty, nor many born; but the foolish things of the world God chose to shame the wise, and the weak things of the world God chose to shame the strong” (1 Cor 1, 26-27).

Jesus does not call us according to human criteria. He transcends the boundaries of appearances: he perfectly knows our shortcomings and, therefore, only asks of us the simplicity of the Heart. “Jesus understands our weakness and draws us to him as if on an inclined plane, desiring that we try to move a little higher every day” [7]. The Virgin Mary was decided as the Mother of God for her simplicity and discretion. We can turn to her to obtain a heart resembling her Heart.

There are values ​​around us that we should respect and protect. If we don’t protect them, they will be destroyed, so let’s protect nature, clean air, the environment… The older and more advanced humanity is, the more relevant and necessary these questions are. In today’s Gospel, Jesus appears as the protector of marriage. His words are absolutely clear and unequivocal: Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. And so they are no longer two, but one body. So what God has joined together, let no man separate! The Pharisees referred to the law of Moses, in which a wife can be divorced. 

But Jesus argues that Moses gave them this law because of the hardness of their hearts. Men very often simply dismissed their wives, therefore the law required them to issue a certificate of dismissal, which made every such case legally verifiable. However, we see that the situation is not changing and even today many religious people talk about divorce quite seriously and consider it a part of life. They defend themselves with a judgment in the name of the Republic, civil law, common sense, happiness, and the dignity of a person… Many imagine divorce as a change of shirt, which puts them in league with the Pharisees and asks Jesus: Is it permissible to divorce a marriage?

Even today, as two thousand years ago, Jesus acts as the supreme Lawgiver and uncompromisingly reminds us that God created man as male and female and declared that the two will be one flesh that no one can divide. If, after all, someone wanted to divide this body, he sins against God and man and destroys his temporal and eternal happiness. However, many do not want to understand Jesus’ words, which is why we witness the breakup of dozens of marriages every day. However, Jesus still says: What God has joined together, let no man put asunder! God gave us this hard and unexceptional law to protect ourselves. After all, let’s just imagine if the marriage was dissolvable, what uncertainty would reign in people? When my face wrinkles, some accident happens, and I remain bedridden or grow old, the other person can leave me at any time, find someone else, and live with me only as long as I suit him. Say for yourself, wouldn’t that be terrible and tragic? But since God has declared marriage indissoluble, such a thing cannot happen. Spouses should be together in good times and bad, in happiness and misfortune, in health and sickness… 

This is how they voluntarily promise each other before God and people. And there is one more very important fact that speaks for the indissolubility of marriage. Jesus ends this argument with the Pharisees by blessing the children, taking them in his arms, and hugging them. By this, he wants to say that children suffer the most when marriages break up. A question may come to mind at this moment: Why do marriages break up? Jesus also answers her in today’s Gospel: Because of the hardness of the heart. It is harshness towards God, who gave men the law of indissolubility in defense of their good. It is harshness towards the partner, who may cry days and nights and defend in every possible way against the separation. Not only that, but it is harsh towards children who immediately after divorce become “half-orphans”, although they have a loving father and mother and one of them does not care for them.

But someone could defend themselves by saying: OK, but what if the spouses start hating each other? Look, this should not happen to a Christian, who is supposed to love even his enemies, and especially in the family. Christ tells us to forgive. And who to forgive, if not your closest neighbor, husband, or wife? So Jesus does not even allow this alternative, that the two start to hate each other. Let’s look now at our family, at my family. How is it with us at home? We may not be divorcing publicly, but what does it look like in my heart? Do we belong to each other and the children completely and honestly? Jesus’ words also apply to us: What God has joined together, let no man put asunder! The father of three used to go home after work in a “good mood”. He and his co-workers often sat for a drink, and when he came home, he was crude and vulgar. The wife typically had to leave with the children to live with her sister, who was married in the same city. 

Relatives were worried about this situation and advised her to get a divorce. Some claimed that in such cases, the Church also allows divorce to a certain extent. This woman, although she suffered a lot, appealed to the fact that before the altar she promised to be faithful to her husband in good and bad, and therefore she must not leave him. She added: I have to pray for him even more. Maybe you don’t have these problems in your marriage, but many families among us have them and are thinking about divorce. Let us pray for them to persevere in faithfulness and mutual love. Let’s pray that spouses will be able to forgive each other and that they will solve all problems by looking at the crucified Christ. And don’t forget, dear husbands and parents, that your marriage will be truly happy if you let Jesus into it and allow him to walk with you on the path of life. Because only he is the true protector of marriage and family.

1.) Because it is real.  God is real, and when we know that, that should be one of the most natural reasons for believing in Him and wanting to know Him.

I am the first and the last, besides me, there is no God. (Is 44.6)

(Some proofs and arguments are also presented on these pages or in the video Proofs of God? )

2.) God is good – always! Regardless of the circumstances in our lives, God is still good.  Knowing God’s character and His goodness leads us to real change and inspires us to follow Him.

The Lord appeared to me from afar. And I love you with eternal love, therefore I am continually showing you mercy. (Jer 31,3)

3.) Without Him we are lost. This means that without Him in our lives, we wander and look for the meaning and happiness of life in various other wrong things.

But it was proper to feast and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead, and came to life, was lost, and was found. (Luke 15:32)

4.) We don’t have to fear death and what comes after, because we have the promised Eternity with Him – Heaven.

…he destroyed him who has the power of death, that is, the devil.  And he freed them, all who had been kept in slavery for the whole time of their lives by the fear of death. (Hebrews 2:14-15)

But I am drawn to both: I have a desire to die and be with Christ…. (Philippians 1:23)

5.) We were created for Him and by Him, as an expression of His love.

And the Lord God formed Adam, a man, taking dust from the ground and breathing into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. (Gn 2,7)

He made everything beautiful in its time, and put eternity in their hearts… (Ecclesiastes 3:11)

For from him, through him, and for him are all things, to him be the glory forever. Amen. (R 11.36)

6.) Only in Him can we fulfill the meaning of our lives.

I am the vine, you are the vines. Whoever abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for without me, you can do nothing. (John 15,5)

Whoever would save his soul will lose it, and whoever loses his soul for my sake will find it. (Mt 16,25)

7.) The forbidden “fruit” is sweet but poisonous. God’s presence is much sweeter and more beautiful than anything else.

Thou hast loved righteousness and hated ungodliness; therefore, hath God thy God anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Ps 45.8)

Many say: Who will show us the good?! Lift the light of your face upon us, O Lord! And you will put more joy in my heart than they have when they have an abundance of goods and when they press a lot of wine. (Ps 4, 7-8)

8.) He offers real Life in fullness and not just survival. Religion alone does not bring the life of God, but a personal relationship with Him does.

A thief does nothing but steal, kill, and destroy.
I came so that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).

9.) You are no longer alone in every problem, but you have someone bigger with you, who when you call, immediately goes to help you.

And when they cried out to the Lord in their distress, he rescued them from their distress. (Ps 107.6)

And behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the world. Amen (Mt 28:20b)

10.) He loves YOU! 🙂  His love for us does not change no matter what state we are in, but we can change so that it can be perfected in our lives. It is even bigger than we can realize or see now.

But God proves his love for us by the fact that Christ died for us while we were still sinners (R 5:8).

11.) He has the answers to all questions…  Why? Because he loves you and is not selfish at all. Of course, this is also included in the fact that he is good and that he loves us.

And you will seek me and find me when you ask me with all your heart. (Jer 29,13)

12.) Freedom in Him is true freedom.   Freedom from sin, the devil, fear, self, and other things that bind and imprison us. So that we can be free and be who we are.

And the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2Cor 3,17)

So when the Son sets you free, you will be truly free. (John 8:36)

13.) God wants only the best for you (more than for himself). Why, because He loves you and is not selfish.

For God so loved the world that he gave him only-begotten Son so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

14.) God himself has certainly never done anything bad to you.

Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from the mountain from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change or turning of the shadow. (Jk 1:17)

The folly of man perverts his way, and his heart is angry with the Lord. (Ex. 19.3)

15.) When you also love Him, He will cause all things in Your life to work together for good.

And we know that to those who love God, everything works together for good… (R 8,28)

16.) He gave everything for You when He gave His Son to win You.

Who did not spare his own Son, but gave him for us all, how could he not also give us everything with him!? (Rs 8.32)

17.) Only Jesus can forgive you all your sins and cleanse you from them.

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given to anyone among men in which we should be saved. (Acts 4:12)

18.) Only He offers You His righteousness and a clean garment without wine before God the Father.

No instrument formed against thee shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the inheritance of the Lord’s servants and their righteousness from me, says the Lord. (Isaiah 54:17)

19.) He will take care of Your worries and needs.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with thanksgiving present your requests to God in all your prayers and supplications. (Phil 4.6 + Mt 6)

PS This verse does not mean that we are to be passive and do nothing, but that we are to rely on Him for all our concerns.

20.) He will heal you, he will be your doctor if you let him.

…who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases… (Psalm 103,3)

21.) He has the power to set you free from addictions, depression, demons, and every bondage…

Well, come on, and let’s talk then! Saith the Lord: If your sins were as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; if they were red as a worm, dyed twice, they would be like wool.  If you will and obey, you will eat the good things of the earth. (Isaiah 1:18-19)

22.) He will give you authority over all evil spirits to trample them.

Behold, I have given you authority and power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall harm you. (Luke 10:19)

23.) He will teach you the way you should go.

The Lord said: I will give you understanding and teach you the way you will go; I will give advice, turning my eye on you. (Ps 32.8)

24.) He is sensitive and gentle when he teaches us. (Matthew 10)

Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden; I will give you rest! Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls… Mt 11:28-29)

25.) Being in service with Him and His work is easy and useful. 

…for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

(Matthew 11:30)

26.)  He will never deceive you, leave you, or leave you…

… For he said: I will certainly not leave you nor forsake you, so we can boldly say: The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. (Hebrews 13.5-6)

27.) Whatever we lose because of Him, He will repay us many times over here on earth.

And Peter said: Behold, we have left everything and followed you -. And he said to them: Amen, I say to you, no one leaves home or parents or brothers or wife or children for the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time and in the age to come eternal life. (Luke 18:28-30)

28.) Every person will come before Him at the Judgment.

Because we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one of us will take away what he has done through the body, whether it was good or bad. (2Cor 5,10)

29.) We have everything in Him, and He is exactly the kind of God and Lord that we humans need. 🙂

Who did not spare his own Son, but gave him for us all, how could he not also give us everything with him!? (Rs 8.32)

God is extremely good. I am sure it is much better than we think or realize. The reason I didn’t give 30 reasons to believe in God is that I didn’t want it to work, that I listed all the possibilities… there are many more reasons. 🙂

As for the proof of these statements, there was no place in this short article to encourage it, but all of them can be further confirmed biblically or scientifically, or substantiated by experience. Would they even believe it?! 🙂 Anyway, I wrote the truth here, and what I am convinced of. To believe is up to you, but what I wanted to summarize here is that God is worth going to!

Jesus’ response to his disciples’ question about greatness in the kingdom of heaven is surprising and counterintuitive. He calls a child and says, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” This exchange subverts human logic, highlighting that achievements alone do not guarantee entry into the kingdom, but rather a willingness to become humble and childlike. This call to humility encourages us to emulate such humility in our own lives.In this profound statement, Jesus redirects our focus from external accomplishments to the inner workings of our hearts, revealing that true greatness lies not in our earthly achievements, but in our capacity to receive the kingdom of heaven with a sense of childlike dependence and humility. A child’s inherent quality of trust, vulnerability, and receptivity becomes the benchmark for entrance into the kingdom, starkly contrasting with the conventional understanding of greatness as a badge of power and authority.

By invoking the metaphor of childhood, Jesus underscores the necessity of setting aside our pride, our ego’s tendency to control, and our relentless pursuit of power and status. This countercultural wisdom whispers to us that genuine spiritual maturity lies not in self-aggrandizement, but in embracing a posture of humility, surrender, and openness to the divine. As we grapple with this paradoxical teaching, we are nudged to confront the illusions of our own self-importance and consider the radical implications of conforming our existence to the depths of humility revealed in the person of Jesus.

Furthermore, Jesus’ encouragement to emulate this childlike humility encourages us to reflect on the implications for our relationships, spiritual practices, and life choices. As we release our hold on the notion that greatness is measured by external success or applause, we begin to appreciate the freedom to receive and respond to others with an open heart. By tenderizing our instincts towards defiance and self-reliance, we make space for deeper connection, richer empathy, and more authentic relationships.

This childlike humility offers a profound sense of liberation from the crushing expectations that often define our lives, whether in the realm of faith or the world at large. By surrendering our need for control and influence, we unlock the possibility for growth, discernment, and radical dependence on the One who stands ready to enfold us into the kingdom of heaven. As we cherish this call to humility and endeavor to embody the meekness of a child, we gain an unobstructed glimpse into the mind of Christ and take the first, stumbling steps towards participating in the mysteries of the divine.

Children live with abandon, trusting adults to solve their problems without worrying about their reputations. They understand that their true wealth comes from God and others. Observing children’s behavior, we see that they strive for the attention of elders, not out of pride but because they need to feel protected.

As we grow, we become more independent and often reach a point where we believe we are self-sufficient. However, maturation is acknowledging that those around us contribute significantly to who we are. Similarly, in our inner lives, we learn to communicate with God from our parents, catechists, or priests, but we may eventually think we no longer need their help. Saint Josemaría noted that this self-sufficiency stems from pride and can lead to isolation and disorientation.

Saint Josemaría encouraged people to desire to be like children and make their lives big. He shared his experience of being a child and throwing himself into the arms of the Virgin Mary and the heart of Christ. This attitude allows us to recognize that we need help and guidance even as adults.

Children also love to play and often want their parents to join in, requiring adults to set aside their logic and concerns. By applying this attitude to our relationships with others, we can prioritize their needs and show kindness. Saint Josemaría believed such expressions of love and appreciation are essential for achieving happiness and connecting with others.

Ultimately, Saint Josemaría encouraged his followers to think of others and recognize that the Lord interacts with us first. By serving others, we not only become more sensitive to God’s love and action in our lives but also experience the joy of fulfilling His will. Caring for those who may seem insignificant, such as children, the sick, and the elderly, brings us closer to the Lord. Every act of kindness towards them is as if we were doing it for God himself. This helps us develop a heart like the Lord’s, which loves without expecting anything in return.

Saint Teresa of Calcutta reminded us that giving love is not always reciprocated, but that’s not the point. The act of giving itself is an opportunity for our own hearts to grow in love. Our Lady can help us develop this attitude, trusting in her example as a mother who gives herself to those she loves, without expecting anything in return. This emphasis on love should make us feel loved and cared for, knowing that our acts of love are not in vain.