//Heartprints of God//
Sometimes God Gives Us More Than We Can Bear . . .
Seeking God in Suffering – God’s Shield of Protection
God’s Shield of Protection
DAY 20 | Isaiah 43:1-5
“When you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned.” —Isaiah 43:2
Have you ever felt that you just couldn’t handle one more difficult thing? Have you wondered how you will get through the next days and months?
God knows the struggles of his people. Through Isaiah, God assured Israel as they were oppressed in exile. God reminded them of his power in the past, and God pointed to his sure presence for the future. The Red Sea had not swept over them as they left Egypt (Exodus 14), and in Babylon a fiery furnace would not burn Daniel’s friends (Daniel 3). God promised, “You are mine,” and “I will be with you.”
The comfort in this passage—that God never lets go as we face all kinds of dangers and struggles—is for God’s people both as a group and as individuals. Nothing can destroy the people whom God has called, so we need not be afraid.
In the summer of 2013 I was shocked and saddened by the death of my youngest sister. Two weeks later, I was diagnosed with melanoma that required surgery, followed by numerous complications. For a while it felt as though the waves of grief and flames of fear were too big to handle. But God did not allow me to be swept away or burned.
The almighty God personally promises to be our shield of protection as we navigate the fiery darts of the devil.
Great I am, help me to trust you when life feels overwhelming and I am pummeled with problems. Thank you that I am precious to you and that your love is eternal. Amen.
//Reframe Ministries//
Seeking God in Suffering – Strength for Today
Strength for Today
DAY 13 | Psalm 27
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid? —Psalm 27:1
Before my Grandpa Mulder died, he compiled a list of Bible passages for the pastor to give to the grandchildren at his funeral. Thus his name is written alongside Psalm 27 in my Bible. It encourages me to think about how God gave my grandfather the strength to endure the difficulties in his life.
The Lord was Grandpa’s stronghold when one of his children died at age 11, when their family could barely make a living during the Great Depression, when his wife died at age 55, and when leukemia later drained him of life. The image of him looking to heaven as he sang a hymn in his hospital bed is one I will not forget.
When God’s people are besieged by an army of challenges in life—grief, financial struggles, illness—we can endure because God is our stronghold. God’s grip never loosens, even when we feel as if we are slipping away. David the psalmist writes that “in the day of trouble” God will “keep [us] safe in his dwelling” and then “set [us] high upon a rock” as a sign of victory.
This psalm is packed with words of comfort: light, salvation, confidence, beauty, safety, joy, help, mercy, and goodness. Memorizing this psalm, and repeating it throughout the day in times of difficulty, can be a sure source of strength for anyone who is suffering.
“Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. . . . You have been my helper.” Give me strength to face whatever comes my way. Amen.
//Reframe Ministries//
Seeking God in Suffering – In the Eye of the Storm
| In the Eye of the Storm DAY 5 | Mark 6:45-52 Then [Jesus] climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. —Mark 6:51 Storm winds were raging as Jesus’ disciples fought to keep their boat afloat. Jesus saw their struggle from afar and walked out to them on the wild waves. When they saw him, they were terrified, thinking he was a ghost on the stormy sea. Jesus could have remained on the shore and commanded the winds to tame down. At the very least, quieting the sea first might have made his walking out there easier. But instead Jesus joined his disciples in the turbulence, took the most difficult route, and then climbed into the rocking boat to be with them. “Don’t be afraid,” he said before calming the storm. In this story, Jesus demonstrates the heart of God that still comforts us today as we battle life’s storms. Jesus sees our struggles, comes near to us, and goes through the storm with us—whether or not he decides to calm or stop it. The night before my doctor called to tell me that my cancer had returned, I had written a skit about this story. I soon realized that God had prepared me for what I was about to face, for he saw what was approaching even before the first cloud appeared. Have you felt the presence of Jesus in your storm? Listen closely as he whispers to you, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Jesus, thank you that you don’t stand at a distance when we are struggling against the storms of life. Instead, you come before we even call. Please calm our fears as we cling to you. Amen. Today is one of a family of programs from:  |
Morning Offering – Approach the Eucharistic Table as Often as Possible
“I urge you with all the strength of my soul to approach the Eucharistic Table as often as possible. Feed on this Bread of the Angels from which you will draw the strength to fight inner struggles.”— Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati
//The Catholic Company//
More2Life: Why Would God Let This Happen?
Why does God let bad things happen? Why am I going through this? What does this mean for me? … Do these questions sound familiar? You’re not alone.
Although we can sometime feel guilty when we question God or doubt his love, it’s more than okay to ask these questions. In fact, it’s even good to ask these types of questions—as long as we bring these questions and struggles to God. The world is not as it was meant to be, and figuring out how to respond to everything that is broken in our lives and in the world is a big job that carries a lot of pain with it. The good news is, God doesn’t want us to have to deal with this pain on our own. He wants to help. He wants us to bring the hurt to him.
Theology of The Body reminds us that faith and life are not meant to be separate things. In fact, being a disciple of Christ begins with giving our body to Christ so that every part of us can serve him and learn to love others as he would have us love them. Truthfully, rather than making things simpler, living out our faith can make things seem more difficult at times because bringing our lives and relationships in line with God’s will is hard work. Doubts and struggles are not a sign of weak faith. They’re an invitation to deeper faith. As long as we keep bringing our doubts, struggles, and confusion to God–instead of letting them lead us away from him–the more God will use those struggles to draw us into closer union with his love and his will.
How do we bring our struggles to God? Keep the following tips in mind.
Be Where You’re At–We often think that we have to pretend with God; like we’re not allowed to admit that we have doubts, fears, or even anger with God. But Jesus reminded us that we are not meant to approach God as fearful slaves, but as friends. God desires our friendship, and friends are real with each other. They don’t pretend. They don’t put on airs. God wants to be with you wherever you are, so let him. Tell him your doubts, be honest about your fears, vent your anger. Trust that God is big enough to take whatever you have to dish out.
Why does God want you to be this honest and vulnerable with him? Because it is only by revealing your heart to God that he can heal the hurt. The best way to experience God’s mercy, love, and healing, is to simply be honest about where you are at and how you feel about him, your faith, and your life. Let it out and ask him to heal whatever is broken, to give you the wisdom to see things the way he sees them, and to respond to everything in a manner that will glorify him regardless of what you’re dealing with. If you can manage that much every day, God will take care of the rest.
Re-center Yourself–Because we tend to turn to our faith and spiritual practices as a source of comfort, we also tend to abandon them when we feel like we’re not getting the emotional payout we were hoping for. That’s especially true when we are experiencing faith-related struggles.
While it’s understandable to want to give up on God, our prayer life, or even our faith in times of spiritual dryness or pain, abandoning these things simply creates a vacuum that tends to be filled with unhealthy thoughts and behaviors that cause us even more pain. Instead of giving up, re-center your spiritual life with a few simple steps. First, re-examine your approach. If the way you are praying isn’t bearing fruit, try a different approach. If you usually talk to God, focus more on listening and meditation. If you usually use a more spontaneous approach, explore some of the more traditional prayers of the church—or vice-versa. Whatever you do, don’t quit–RECOMMIT!
Second, instead of focusing on your feelings and processing your faith through your emotions, process your feelings through your faith. Confess whatever you are feeling to God–no matter how ugly or messy it is–but ask him to help you sort out your emotions in light of what is really true, in light of what gives glory to him, and in light of his grace. Feelings are important but when they occupy the center of our lives instead of our faith and spiritual life, they tend to cause a lot of pain and confusion. Don’t deny your emotions, but make sure to process your feelings through your faith. You’ll be amazed at the peace this can bring.
Talk to A Spiritual Mentor--If you feel like your spiritual struggles are too much for you to manage on your own, reach out for good spiritual support. Talk with your pastor. Seek out a spiritual director or pastoral counselor who can help you reconnect with your spiritual resources. The Theology of the Body reminds of what God said in the Book of Genesis, “It is not good for man to be alone.” Don’t let the devil separate you from the heard and pick you off like a lonely gazelle. If you are struggling in your faith, reach out to the people God has put in place to help you. Don’t be too prideful to seek out a Simon of Cyrene to help you carry your cross.
If you would like to talk to a spiritual coach or pastoral counselor, visit us online at CatholicCounselors.com.
Our Struggles
