Holy Spirit, help me recognize your Grace in and through life’s challenges …

 
2 Corinthians 12:7-10

 
Weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities (traumas) – that about sums up all the things that lure me into self-pity and even despair.  Later in this letter to the Corinthians (II Corinthians 11:23-27) Saint Paul listed off all the calamities he had endured – a list that is more than 100 words long in English. This man knew firsthand how challenging the world, the flesh and evil could be; but how much more is St. Paul remembered for his faith than for his traumas, for his churches than for his persecutors, and for his power-full, Grace-filled writings than for his weaknesses! This was because the hardships he endured became for him an opportunity to exercise and develop his faith, hope and love in God. Paul treasured his glory stories of God’s power and regarded the challenges of his life simply as a means to that end. Indeed, his life became so infused with the power and the glory of God that he could proclaim, with or without words, the redeeming Grace of Christ to all. Will I become consumed with meeting life’s challenges with vengeance, worldly securities, and powers of my own design, or will I assume the holy presence of Christ Jesus dwelling in me by Baptism, through the necessity of faithfulness to, and trust in, God’s mercy? Holy Spirit, help me recognize your Grace in and through life’s challenges.
   
We know that all things work together for good to those that love God, who are called according to his purposes… No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loves us.    (Romans 8:28 & 38)
 
"You can never learn that Christ is all you need, until Christ is all you have."
Corrie Ten Boom
 
Soli ad gloriam Dei
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