40 Days of Seeking Him 2011 ~ Day 22

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Just the other day, I was talking with a friend about some difficult choices we had to make as a family recently and how speaking the truth was not only hard, but also led to others placing blame on us.   While I’m thinking God might have thought my Lenten sacrifice needed a booster shot, she reminded me that following God’s call can lead us into a situation when we are persecuted and I should rejoice in that suffering.  I can’t disagree, but also know that my flesh does NOT want to be uncomfortable in the least. I might have made choices on how to act based upon my faith and where prayer led me.  But, that doesn’t mean I want to get on the hot seat!

This is something that I was reflecting upon during Stations of the Cross last night.  The little discomfort and bruises of what ego I possess seems insignificant compared to what Jesus suffered in his last hours.  I know it is also ‘nothing’ compared to those who have been persecuted while spreading the Gospel.  Thinking about that really helps put things into perspective.

Then, as God loves to send us messages through multiple sources and manners, I stumbled across a short reflection titled Difficult to Love?  During the recent events, I did catch myself on the verge of wishing ill upon those who seem to feel that way about us.  While my version of wishing ill is wanting those who have done wrong to reap what they sow, it is still NOT how God wants me to behave as a Christian.  I often tell the boys that we are not put here to judge and yet it is easy to become judgmental.  So, I have begun to offer it all up in prayer more fervently than I had at first.   We are all children of God and our thoughts and actions should reflect that knowledge.

That same article is also timely as we prepare for some visitors this summer.   There are a few people in my life that have been difficult with which to have a healthy relationship.  Putting physical distance between us has helped, but that alone can not get us closer to a better relationship.  One of the individual’s who has been difficult is on the visitor list.  So, I am meditating upon one sentence from that article, a quote from St. Thomas Aquinas:
“Love is wanting what is best for a person and doing what you reasonably can to bring goodness and good things to that person.”

For me, this is powerful and sometimes difficult to implement the way I should.  But, with God’s grace, I hope to make strides to live my life more like Christ wants.