‘Teach me your paths, my God’

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

THAT’S a beautiful psalm (25,4b) that should remind us that we need to be aware that it is God’s continuing, loving, merciful and effective providence that guides us toward our ultimate and real goal in life.

It would be good if we can repeat this psalm often so we can protect ourselves from our strong tendency to think that we can just depend on our own selves to navigate life’s complexities and steer through life’s challenges.

For this, we need to humble ourselves and always feel the need for God’s guidance. We have to be guarded against our tendency, especially when we happen to be quite gifted, to think that we can depend mainly, if not solely, on our own human powers.

We should give full trust on God’s providence because even if our plans would look uncertain and our actions appear to only yield failures, God’s purpose for us will always be established. With him, everything will always work out for the good. (cfr. Rom 8,28)

We should strengthen our belief that nothing escapes divine providence. As the creator and the cause of all things, God’s providence must include the preservation and guidance of all the creatures down to the smallest details. His guidance is not only about “big picture” outcomes, but about the ongoing order by which creatures reach their end.

But we have to understand also that God’s providence is not a controlling force that would nullify our freedom. Rather, he grounds the existence of all creatures on himself and guides them according to the nature he gives them. In short, God does not compete with his creatures. He considers them as instruments of his providence. And even if a creature acts contrary to his providence, his guidance cannot be stopped.

We should understand then that God’s providence is his continuing love for us. On our part, we should try our best to be always aware of his constant guidance over us, ever trusting it without allowing it to replace our responsibility.

This certainty of God’s constant guidance over us should enable us to face the complex and often confusing conditions of our life with hope and courage. We can face life’s unpredictability without panic.

We need to learn how to be discerning of God’s guidance over us. We have to realize that since God’s providence is “concrete and immediate,” our prayerful discernment should not only be general. We can bring our concrete decisions, fears and hopes to God who actually cares for the least things.

Again, a good attitude to assume in this regard is to continually ask God, “Teach me your paths, my God.” Especially when our plans appear to be uncertain, let us strengthen our trust in his providence.

In short, this beautiful psalm should remind us that we ought to have a humble dependence on God, seek concrete guidance for our conduct, reject counterfeit and often broad direction, expect ongoing formation that we always need, and submit ourselves to God’s authentic teaching.

Indeed, we just cannot teach ourselves about how to live. It is God who is the proper teacher of how to live. And as mentioned in the gospel, God’s paths differ from the big and wide ways that lead to ruin. (cfr. Mt 7,13-14) We have to make a moral and spiritual discernment that is distinct from just following what is popular and easy.

We also need to realize that asking God to teach us his ways means that it is a continuing process and that he teaches through revealed “ways” and not through some private improvisation.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com