DO YOUR BEST AND GOD WILL DO THE REST

While studying the Gospel, we can recognize and gain some basic insights concerning the Gospel texts: one of them is that Jesus is searching for a person and asking his or her cooperation. Jesus desires to help every person, but one needs to seek Jesus' help, one needs to come to Jesus and tell him his or her problem.

Good example is the wedding in Cana (John 2: 1-11). Jesus' mother Mary notices that a bride and bridegroom had run out of wine at the wedding. That was undoubtedly unpleasant and embarrassing situation.
What to do? Mary reveals their problem to Jesus, but also instructs the servers that whatever Jesus tells them, they have to listen to him. Jesus told the servers to fill six stone jars with water and deliver them to the headwaiter. The servers did that, and the headwaiter, when he tasted the wine, concluded that it was an excellent quality. Jesus turned water into excellent wine. What conclusion can we draw for our personal life?

The first is that when we have a problem, we need to come to Jesus and let him know what is our trouble, problem, worry or anxiety. In other words, we have to admit to Jesus that we lack something (as the bride and groom lacked wine).
Apart from pronouncing our problems and worries, we need to hand them to Jesus. He carefully and lovingly hears us and wants to comfort us. Jesus really enjoys helping us.

Second, we need to do what Jesus instructs us. Jesus teaches us primarily through the Scripture, through his Holy Word. It is up to us to do what he tells us. Jesus wants that we do our part of the job, and Jesus will do his part, the one we are not capable to do.
For example, Jesus did not pour six stone jars alone or carried them alone to the front of the table. Jesus demanded that people do that. People had to make a concrete action. The servers poured water into stone jars and carried them to the headwaiter. When a person does his or her part of work, Jesus is prepared to do his part, the one that a person is not able to do. Jesus really does his part of the job!
Jesus can make a miracle that is beyond our expectations and something that we did not expect at all. Jesus turned water into wine. He did not turned water in some ordinary wine, but in excellent wine! A person could not do that part of the job. A person can do human part of the work, but only Jesus could intervene in a human life in a divine manner.

Similar examples in the Gospel can be found in the narratives about the miraculous catch of fish (Luke 5: 1-11) or the resurrection of Lazarus (John 11:1-44).
For instance, in the marvelous catch of fish, Jesus directed Peter to throw hunting nets, even though the previous night Peter had not caught anything and he had wounded in vain. Nevertheless, Peter obeyed Jesus, and did what Jesus wanted him to do – to cast nets for hunting fish. We notice again that Jesus is not the one who makes the human part of the job. Jesus makes his part of the work - he directs a person not to give up, encourages a person to listen to him, to trust him and to do what is necessary. Excellent results will happen. Peter caught a huge number of fish. Peter’s nets almost began to break.

We can remark again how Jesus abundantly blesses the obedience of his disciples and how he is the one who brings the truly success, beyond human expectations.

The last example that I will mention here is Lazarus's resurrection. Jesus came the fourth day after Lazarus was buried. Although it seemed that Jesus was late, Jesus still asks his disciples to continue to trust in him. Therefore, Jesus says to Martha: “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” Jesus asked a man to remove the stone.

Jesus did not remove the stone from the grave by himself, the man is required to do that part of work. However, what Jesus did, is something that a man cannot do: to resurrect Lazarus from death. We are again reminded that Jesus is the one who performs a miraculous gesture in a human life. This miracle was preceded by the cry and the call of Lazar's sisters, Martha and Mary – they have told Jesus what had happened and asked for help. Although it seemed that Jesus was late and that there is no hope for Lazarus to be saved, Jesus continues to ask faith and trust in him. After Marta confessed that she truly believes that he is the Resurrection and the Life and after the stone is removed from the grave, Jesus makes his part of the work - resurrects Lazarus.

From these few examples we can see the essential pattern which Jesus' disciples have to follow. Jesus wants to cooperate with a person, wants to help him or her with one’s everyday problems, difficulties, anxieties and the misery. Jesus is with a person when he or she goes through difficult times. On such occasions, a person should not indulge him or herself in self-pity, negative or discouraging thoughts. Rather, one should invite Jesus to help him or her, to listen what he advises and teaches, and to do a human part of the work. The rest should be left to Jesus and his divine intervention. He really does his part of the job in one’s problem and in one’s life. Thus, always remember to do the best you can, and God will do his part of the work, beyond your human expectations. To put it briefly: Do you best, and God will do the rest.