My dear friends, beware of despair! The worries and anxieties that come into our lives can certainly knock us off balance and shake us to the core with a gnawing feeling of futility as we continue to endure these abnormal times. What can we do then to maintain our inner balance?
First, take comfort in knowing the Word became flesh to teach us and to unite with us, especially through suffering. “Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart” [Hebrews 12:3]. Through Christ, God gives us the way to protect ourselves from sin against hope and what is “contrary to God’s goodness” [CCC 2091].
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement, who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God” [2 Cor 1:3–4]. By our Lord’s endurance we can endure; by our Lord’s encouragement, we can encourage; by our Lord’s compassion, we can be compassionate.
No Pit Is So Deep
Truly, keeping ourselves steady is not easy when there seems to be no end in sight for the troubles we face. Although I have placed myself in God’s hands, many times I pull away when I let my worries take over. “Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?” [Matthew 6:27]. No, but those worries can certainly add to the gray hairs!
Withdrawing from our Lord only exacerbates our trials and tribulations, depleting our ability to cope and to hope. When I feel the weight of my troubles, causing me to teeter on the edge of despair, I remind myself of the quote by Corrie ten Boom, a Holocaust survivor: “No pit is so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.” In those moments, I am able to detach myself from what is weighing me down, and reunite with my faith in God—renewing my commitment to deepen my trust in Him.
When we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, our Lord provides us the mercy, compassion, and strength of spirit to deal with our needs and concerns so that we do not lose heart or hope within ourselves and for one another. Granted, God’s love will not necessarily make our difficulties disappear, but His love does make them easier to bear with a purpose. Through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, we learn that the generosity we receive in our hearts from God for the sake of our lives and salvation, we can share to help the needs of others.
Remaining Steadfast
Faith in God’s love and submitting ourselves to God’s will open us to the possibilities our Lord has in store for each of us. Believing that nothing is impossible for God gives us the courage we need in our daily living to protect our light of hope from dissipating so that we can always see God’s goodness, thereby keeping us steady in these unsettled times.
Eternal Father, increase your strength, mercy, and compassion within our hearts to protect us from falling into despair. Help us to be generous with our faith, our hope, and our love to aid those who are liable to stumble. Amen.
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