Can you believe that despite being surrounded by troubles, God gives us peace? When
life is unsettled, we are probably not seeking the value of peace. In our humanness, while we
are going through suffering, we get distracted and fail to look to the Lord, allowing our anxiety
to rise, not drawing us to peace. The key is to keep our eyes on God, not the difficulties,
allowing peace to fill us.
Is there inspiration for us in this quote from John O’Donohue, “Your mind can deceive
you and put all kinds of barriers between you and your nature; but your body does not lie. Your
body tells you, if you attend to it, how your life is and whether you are living from your soul or
from the labyrinths of your negativity. The human body is the most complex, refined, and
harmonious totality. Your body is in the soul and the soul suffuses you completely. The
incarnation tells us that body and spirit must fully operate and be respected as one.”
As caretakers, we go from one ‘trouble’ to another, with health a primary concern.
Faith holds that this life is not all there is, and in our grief, we are sustained by God’s love and
grace to keep on keeping on. Faith means that you have peace, even when you do not have all
the answers. Richard Rohr says, “For many of us, suffering is a cycle. We go back and forth,
holding on and letting go, healing, hurting anew and healing again.” Rohr teaches that God
uses love and suffering and especially suffering, as universal paths to reach and change us. That
love and suffering are part of most human lives, without a doubt, they are the primary spiritual
teachers more than any Bible, Church, minister, sacrament, or theologian.”
Continuing with Rohr’s teaching, “There is a straight line between love and suffering. If
we love greatly, it is fairly certain we will soon suffer, because we have somehow given up
control to another. This is my simple definition of suffering: whenever we are not in control.”
Much food for thought to reflect on and we pray for the courage to trust and be at peace.
We take comfort in Jesus words in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give
to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.”
Also, Helen Keller’s words, “The world is full of suffering. It is also full of the overcoming of it.”
Read a Peace acronym (Too Blessed to be Stressed, Debora M. Coty) P – Placing, E- Each,
A- Aggravation at, C- Christ’s feet, E- Expectantly. If we look at our circumstances, we
eventually fall into hopelessness and despair. What path will we choose, centering on our
troubles or focusing on the power of God to come to our rescue?
Comments