Sometimes we find it hard to trust God. Didn’t he command Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac?

If we trust God, might he not entrust us with a task we don’t like? Even Mother Teresa, who famously said that God would not give her anything she couldn’t handle, confided that she wished he didn’t trust her so much.

It is not difficult to feel strongly about Jesus and Mary, so clearly depicted in the biblical accounts. The Holy Spirit as the advocate, the teacher sent to remind the disciples of all that Jesus had said, is also depicted clearly enough.

But we are not always sure of God the Father, in case he has a challenge for us that involves suffering. We can remain in this state of caution for decades, not quite able to bring ourselves to trust him.

The English poet Francis Thompson has well described our sometimes distrustful attitude towards God. The Dog of Heaven: “I fled from Him through the nights and through the days; I fled from Him through the arches of the years”.

And then: “(For though I knew His love that followed Him,/Yet I was sore afraid/ That if I had Him, I should have nothing else.) But if one little window should be opened wide,/ The gust of His approach would strike it./ Fear could not evade, as Love could pursue.”

Yet our view of personal freedom is different from God’s. Thompson explains God’s view: “All that I took from you, I took only/Not to harm you,/But only so that you might seek it in My arms.”

Sometimes we reach a point where we can no longer hide and there is nothing left to do but surrender to God, to give up our ego and the need to be in control. When we dare to trust God, to surrender our worries and concerns, we are often surprised by a sense of peace and comfort.