Catherine of Genoa lived in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. She was born into a Christian home but wandered away from her faith after marrying a successful and wealthy man. By God’s grace, Catherine’s husband lost his fortune, and together the couple committed their lives to Jesus and began caring for the poor, serving in a hospital in Genoa, Italy. in time, Catherine’s husband died, and she became the matron of the hospital, known for her love of God and others.
I don’t know about you, but I’m all ears when it comes to learning from someone like Catherine! In her book, Life and Teachings, she gives some wise advice concerning spiritual growth. That advice is best summed up in the phrase, “little by little.”
“I will not weary myself with seeking beyond what God wants me to know,” writes Catherine. Instead, she determines to “abide in peace with the understanding God has given me.”
“We want more, more, more, and we want it now, now, now.” The words of the AFL-CIO president, Samuel Gompers, describe the culture you and I are living in, in these days. Microwaves, drive-throughs, remote controls, and easy credit has made patience - once considered a virtue - a vice.
But God’s ways have not changed. “S/he who is faithful with little will be faithful with much.” In other words, until we learn to walk in the knowledge of God that we have right now, there is no need for God to give us more. My mother used to make me eat everything on my plate before giving me more. God is the same way.
Rest in the knowledge of God and His ways that you have right now. Learn to live in the light of that knowledge. As you do, you can be sure God will give you more for your good and His glory.
In Christ,
Dan