Faith

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“Always on Time”
Tuesday, July 12, 2005 †

As best as parents may try, no parent can raise their child in a way that ensures the child’s life would turnout perfect. And as hard as the best of parents may try, there is no way to raise a child so that little tears are never shed, small cuts & bruises are never felt, and innocent hearts are never broken. Chances are our own parents tried and it didn’t quite work for us. Chances are, we might (might of) try, and still the first times for all these unwanted moments will show their head around the corner. Unfortunately, these are part of the things that define life. For without the combinations of the good & bad, the sad & the happy none of these things would come to be. In other words, without the one element we would not know of the other’s existence. The depth to which we feel or experience each element is greatly dependent upon the magnitude of their differences. In fact, it is because of these dynamics that we know what living truly means.

Life: noun - the sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the existence of an individual. (Merriam-Webster Online)

A lot of times we experience challenges or difficulties or down right disappointment, and because things didn’t turn out as we had planed, we immediately kill off any possibilities for the same dreams to come into fruition later. Instead, we allow ourselves to fall into our self defeating habits which in turn become the toxins in our hearts that fuel the sinful fire of anger against our family, friends, & sadly also, God. For some people it almost seems to be their natural instinct to think that there is no hope left if something they poured their hearts into fails the first or second time. Do we not know that God always has many plans and gifts for us? He does not limit each person to just once chance at happiness in life. If this were so, why would He ask for the great sacrifice from His Son so that we may have another chance towards salvation?

Everything in God and of God has its own place and time. Although we may not always understand His methods & timing, we must trust and have faith that when the time is divinely right, God will make things so. St. Paul never knew what the Lord had in store for his future. Being once a Gentile who punished and despised the disciples of Christ & anyone who followed Him. St. Paul had no idea that one day the Lord would convert his heart and ask him to “go and spread the Word” to the people – Jews and Gentiles a like. And although he was often warned by God’s angel that danger and ultimately death awaited him in the next city or country he was to visit to share the Word, St. Paul’s faith in Christ’s plan for him never faltered.

And so if we desire to acquire success and happiness for our lives, we must emulate St. Paul’s faith. God always has another plan for us for we are His children and, therefore, full of His grace. He is only waiting for us to wake up and help ourselves first; we must start it first. When we do everything that we can do on our end that is when God will step in and do His part. Instead of whining about missed opportunities, try listening for His voice in the quiet whisper because He is there to consol. Do not allow the lesser moments in your past determine what is to come in your future. Let God guide you to that future. Put down the white flag of surrender. Dismiss all negative thoughts and words about yourself from your being. Fill those places instead with positive thoughts, utter encouraging words for your tomorrows, look adversity in the eyes and say to it, ‘I am full of God’s grace.’ Perhaps because of these sufferings endured now, the subtlety in the magnificence and beauty of the next moment in our lives will not be lost to us. Perhaps it shall be the greatest thing of all, and we would have missed it because our faith in the Lord could not weather the storm.

We wonder why God has not acted when things are not right in our lives; He wonders why we have not acted at all. Remember, you’re living life – by definition it’s supposed to be full of ups & downs.

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