Leveraging our difficulties

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

 

IF we are truly with God, we would know how to take maximum advantage even of our difficulties, problems and all the other negative things that can take place in our life here on earth. These negative things are unavoidable, in fact. We should know how to handle them properly. But it would be a pity if we fail to see the great potentials they have in generating more and greater good.

We should always remember that God takes care of everything. And even from evil, he would know how to derive some good. With him, everything, including our failures and sins, would always work for the good. His wisdom, his omnipotence, his mercy, etc. would take care of all that.

The crucial thing to do is to be with God, which definitely will require some discipline from us. And so, even if especially at the beginning, we would find it hard, if not almost impossible to be with God, we just have to do what we can to achieve that ideal condition for us. In time, and with faith and our unrelenting effort, to be with God is not only achievable, but something that can become a stable state of life for us. Again, let’s remember that we are actually meant for that state of life.

We can be sure that on the part of God, everything is made available, so that whatever difficulty and problem we have in this life, we would know how to leverage them to our real and lasting advantage, and not just some false and passing advantage.

Obviously we have to do our part. In fact, we have to exhaust all human means to resolve whatever difficulties and problems we have. But knowing that our best would never be enough, we should never forget that there is God, our Father, our Creator, who began something good in us and who will also be the one to finish, complete and perfect everything in us. (cfr. Phil 1,6)

We have to strengthen our conviction on this wonderful truth of our faith. We should not allow ourselves to be dominated by sadness, much less, despair over some weakness, mistakes, failures, blunders and sins that can mark our earthly sojourn.

While it’s true that our initial reaction to these negative things can unavoidably be one of sadness, let us not stay long there. We have to immediately recover our true dignity as children of God. Being a father, God would always understand and forgive us.

God will never give up on us. He will do everything to help and save us. As St. Paul would put it in his Letter to the Romans: “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (8,32)

So, let’s not waste precious time lamenting or feeling bad about our difficulties, problems, failures, etc. What we have to do is to go back to Christ as soon as we can. As some people would say, “Just come home. Everything will be all right, whatever your condition is.”

God will always welcome us. He will always offer us whatever help is needed. He is able to give us the solution and relief even to those difficulties and problems that do not have human or natural solutions anymore.

Obviously, in all this, we have to learn to suffer, since suffering is inevitable in our life. Suffering can be a more genuine and meritorious sign of love which is what should animate our whole life here on earth.

To learn to suffer, we obviously have to look closely at the example of Christ, imitating him by having his spirit of love and obedience to his Father, whatever the cost may be involved. This is the secret of leveraging our difficulties, problems and all the other negative things in our life!

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com