Today a nurse came to the house to start a five day regiment of steroids as prescribed by my doctor to help with relieve symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. The nurse had to ask my about my symptoms and med. history. Upon telling her she looked at me in amazement and was speechless. I asked her what was wrong and she said that she sees people every day and hears their stories. Having heard mine she knows that I have been through hell and that I should be miserable like the rest of her clients. She shared how she was amazed at the peace and positive attitude I have. She asked me how that could be. She did not know tht my strength comes from knowing that Christ is going through this with me and that my hope is in Him.
I was able to share with her how God gives me strength, that my peace comes from my faith in God but more importantly from the grace to exercise my faith every day. Faith isn't always easy and fighting the temptation to feel sorry for ourselves is hard for everyone. For me it is easier when I depend on the Sacraments and God's word. I could see that she believed in God but did not know how to put her faith in to practice. She did not know how to trust him.
Trust comes from building relationship. It takes work. It is not easy to read scripture every day, pray the Rosary daily or make Mass as often as possible but neither is it easy for an athlete to work out every day. But like the athlete who knows he has muscles and also knows that having muscles is simply not enough; we have faith and we must know that that is not enough. Someitmes I have to remind myself that in order to persevere I need to exercise our faith daily, in good times and in bad, through commitment to prayer and service. The athlete knows that he has to exercise his muscles in order for them to be a blessing to him and others. The Christian needs to persevere in the same way,exercising his or her spiritual muscles through practicing ones faith.
If you feel like God is not hearing your prayers, persevere. Make a commitment to seeking him in His Word, the Sacraments,and in prayer. Don't wait until a trial comes to grow strong in the Lord. Seek him now and grow strong now so that when the trial comes it does not take you by surprise and you will stand ready to fight with faith, hope and love.
Back to the Nurse and her inability to cope with her own difficulties and the suffering she sees every day.
She kept asking me about my testimony and I shared it with her. God touched her heart. It was a beautiful thing to see that the way God blessed me in my sufferings (with God's grace) gave her joy and the faith to persevere.
Dear Lord Help us to be instruments of faith, hope and love and to the truth that you will never leave us nor forsake us but that you will work all things together for good for those who love you. Should we in our weakness despair help us to persevere. Without you and your grace we can do nothing. Glorify your name and deliver us from every evil. Amen
Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
