Walk on Trust

We are troubled people. Even when we don’t go looking for trouble, it can come to us. We will realise by now that we cannot have control on everything happening to us. Our life can change as a consequent of another person’s action. Our path in life is often littered with such challenges.

Two disciples were walking the path to Emmaus talking about events that had happened. When the Risen Christ walked beside them, they did not recognise him. Instead they expressed incredulity that he did not hear about the things that were happening.

Of course for the two disciples it was about the crucifixion and their walk on the path of enlightenment about the resurrection. We as believers today have the benefit of faith to help us walk the path of our challenges.

Some of us would have experienced events that had large-scale implications and affected a larger number of people in challenging ways. It can come from a government policy or changes at work where we have little choice but to accept. Worse still, we may be part of a retrenchment exercise in which we were short-changed and unjustifiably dealt with. We can also be found challenged as a consequence of the action of people holding power over us.

When these things happen to us we are like the two disciples. We are anxious and in fear of what’s to happen. We are angry and bitter about the injustice. We are confused and lost. Even though we are blessed with the belief of the Risen Christ, we cannot recognise him in these events. Who can see Him in injustice, especially when it come from a system or a person we were taught to trust?

But the Risen Christ recognise this about us and He patiently walk with us through our emotions, patiently guiding us and gently healing us. He does not create injustices to test us; the Risen Christ rose out of injustice to accompany us. Injustices are man-made.

He sits with us as we huddle in groups venting our frustrations and listening to our words of anger. He allows it knowing that our human condition need a release. We want to hit back at the employer and the system but He works silently and unseen in our hearts to take away the strength to fight. In our tiredness he moves us on into the less violent pastures of grief. Here our tears flow; grieving is okay, it closes a chapter otherwise a new chapter cannot be opened.

Overcoming challenges is a process; a walk we must walk. We cannot walk it alone. “Two disciples” represent companions. We were never meant to be alone; friends and family are gifts from God. We need one another in troubled times, to have the conversations so that we can hear him, and eventually recognise him in the breaking of bread.

In whatever challenging circumstances in life, we must encourage each other to walk on. In this walk together, we will recognise the Risen Christ walking with us. He is the one we can completely trust. We walk on Trust.