Show Notes
Episode 96. He Leadeth Me, Part 3
Episode 96. He Leadeth Me, Part 3
“Even in moments of human discouragement, the consciousness that I was fulfilling God's will in all that happened to me would serve to dispel all doubt and desolation.”
~ Fr. Walter Ciszek
How can we trust God when life feels uncertain or painful?
What does it really mean to surrender our will to God?
How do we remain faithful when we face discouragement or suffering?
In episode 96 of This Whole Life, Kenna, Pat, and Fr. Nathan conclude their Lenten book study on He Leadeth Me by Fr. Walter Ciszek. In this final installment, they reflect on the closing chapters of Ciszek’s powerful spiritual memoir and the profound lessons he learned while enduring years of imprisonment and forced labor in the Soviet Union.
The conversation explores the mystery of divine providence and what it means to trust that God is present even in suffering, confusion, and discouragement. Drawing from Ciszek’s witness, they discuss surrendering control, discerning God's will in everyday life, and learning to see hardships not as meaningless suffering but as opportunities to grow in faith and dependence on God.
With humor, honesty, and thoughtful reflection, the hosts unpack the wisdom of a man who discovered that true freedom does not come from escaping suffering, but from trusting completely in God’s providence. Join the conversation as they wrap up this Lenten journey and reflect on how Fr. Ciszek’s insights can transform the way we live our daily lives.
Show Notes
“Facing a firing squad is a pretty good test, I guess, of your theology of death.” (p. 149)
“But death itself is not a thing we fear. It is a homecoming, the return of the prodigal son, perhaps, to the welcoming arms of a loving father.” (157-158)
“...the fullest freedom I had ever known, the greatest sense of security, came from abandoning my will to do only the will of God.” (p. 165)
“What were any of us, really, in the face of the system around us, with all its organs of propaganda and powers of persecution? Yet, in God’s providence, here we were. This was the place he had chosen for us, the situation and circumstances in which he had placed us. One thing we could do and do daily: we could seek first the kingdom of God and his justice…” (p. 177)
“In this lies the difference between the truly humble person and one who lacks humility. The former sees the blame in himself for the disorders of his life, for his failures and his faults, and he strives to recapture again a sense of dedication to God’s will. The latter, far from blaming himself for any faults or failings, tries to justify his actions in some way or other and persists in doing exactly those things that are slowly alienating him from God and his vocation.” (p. 183)
“Man was created to praise, revere, and serve God in this world and to be happy with him forever in the next. That is the fact of the matter - you believe it or you don’t - and that is the end of it.” (p. 206)
“The air is full these days with talk of peace, of commitment, of fulfillment. Yet no one can know greater peace, no one can be more committed, no one can achieve a greater sense of fulfillment in this life than the man who believes in this truth of the faith and strives daily to put it into practice.” (p. 208)
Challenge By Choice
How am I living out the deepest truth of our faith: that I was made to love, serve, and be with God in this life, to be with him forever in the next?
Take some time to reflect on the ways that you are embracing the love of God and will of God.
How are you practically living out that truth in day to day life with Christ?
Reflection Questions
For personal reflection or group discussion
What is one specific thing that stuck with you from this conversation?
Where in my life is God inviting me to trust His providence more deeply?
What situations challenge my ability to surrender control to God?
How might God be using the difficulties in my life to draw me closer to Him?