--from Les Miserables
We often think of progress on our spiritual journeys as those experiences when we make big leaps towards God. Experiences like baptism, confirmation, or another personal choice to follow Christ are usually pointed to as milestones along the way and they certainly are just that. However, I want to make the assertion that unpleasant experiences can be just as important to our spiritual growth. Sometimes we go through periods where all is not well. There are times in life when things are just plain BAD. These are often stressful times of transition, loss, or uncertainty.
When I'm going through a tough time, I think of God as hiding from me. I know he's not far, but I just can't see him. When that happens, I ask myself, "Whom am I not loving?" Then I take some deliberate time to think about the people in my life. Sometimes the person I'm not loving enough is myself. That happens a lot! I think most of the problems we face in life that don't have to do with others are really about not loving ourselves enough. I'll use my mother as a positive example. My mother had cancer for almost ten years, but it never seemed to bother her. She didn't fault anyone for it; it just happened. She knew it was something she couldn't handle on her own, and she didn't want to let it get in the way of loving herself or anyone else, so she gave it to Christ. He carried it for her. Despair never overcame Mom, because she knew Christ was taking care of the details for her. Mom loved herself enough not to let the disease defeat her spirit.
Now, I don't want to be too flowery about this. There are things that happen in life that may take years to come to terms with. Some things we may never be able to get over, and that's okay too. We do the best with what we have, and if we don't have it figured out yet, so what? All in good time, I say. All in God's time.
My mom's lesson to us is that when we have something in life that keeps us from loving ourselves, we have to give it to Christ. Each time that happens, we come to Christ all over again.
Is there something in your life that you want to give to Christ? Is there something that you wish you could put behind you and move forward from? Give it Christ. I think he can handle it!
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