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Email a FriendPosted by jeni on Wednesday, Jul 14, 2010 5:37 PM (EDT):
thanks! Needed that today!!
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Ask a Priest vol. 21
Posted by Fr. John Bartunek, LC in Faith on Wednesday, July 14, 2010 12:00 PM
Last time we reflected on the reality that our culture is no longer a Christian culture, and so faith-divided families are more and more prevalent.
But at the same time, from God’s perspective, those situations are the very ones that he will use to reclaim this culture for Christ – they are not outside his purview; he is at work in the midst of them and will make use of your daily efforts to be his faithful daughter.
Now, at the risk of sounding simplistic, I would like to offer three suggestions to help you move forward in this situation.
First, remember that no one is exempt from the cross. If this weren’t your cross, you would have another one. Really. This may sound harsh, but it is so true!
Often, the devil tricks us into feeling so sorry for ourselves that we start thinking our condition is hopeless. Such a thought NEVER comes from God: “With God, all things are possible… In the world you will have trouble, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (Mt 19:26; John 16:33). Simply remembering that the cross is not outside God’s plan, but part of it, is boost to the spirit; it is how we can unite our crosses to Christ’s.
Second, don’t worry about solving every problem. You never will be able to do so. Even if your spousal relationship were ideal, that would be no guarantee that your children would grow up in love with Christ. And many remarkable Christians, and even canonized saints, came from less-than-ideal homes. Be confident that your mere effort to be faithful each day, to love your husband and children as Christ would have you, will give God’s grace room to work wonders. If some problems never get solved, don’t worry about it. If some answers never come, just keep stumbling forward as best you see fit. God can ask nothing more.
Third, protect your prayer life; it is your lifeline to holiness and supernatural fruitfulness. Yet, you aren’t a nun, so you aren’t supposed to spend four hours a day in prayer. And God understands that. So, if you fight faithfully give him your 15-minute daily God-time, and simply make a responsible effort to pray well and learn to pray better, that’s what he will use to keep the grace flowing in your heart.
What the devil most wants is to choke off your time of personal prayer. If he does that, soon the sacraments will lose their luster in your eyes, discouragement or frustration will mushroom, and you will start seeking definitive answers from the blind guides of “this present darkness” (Eph 6:12), instead of from the Light of the world.
Finally, this verse may be of comfort to you when the burden feels heaviest:
“But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day” (2 Peter 3:8).
Comments
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Posted by OldyMom on Wednesday, Jul 14, 2010 7:23 PM (EDT):
Thank you for posting this. I get a little psyched out thinking I can’t do it all alone, especially since there seems to be so many intact seemingly perfect families around me. How can I do it all alone? Thank you for reminding me that it’s God’s grace, not mine.
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