Surrender

What if i am wrong in believing that if i just do the right things and say the right things life will be better. Everything will be okay and I will finally be happy. Why do I believe the lies the world tells me. Why gain the whole wide world If I am jus goin to loose my soul? Many times I try to control how things our going to turn out in my life, but it never ends up the way I want it to.

In the end there is always suffering and pain, but the difference lies in whether I suffer for and with Christ or alone in the world pursuing the lies it sells.

This past sundays readings hit me really hard. There are many things that happen in life where we have every right to be angry and want justice, but the reality is that being angry and holding a grudge doesn't solve anything. Anger actually only prevents us from receiving the Lords grace. How do we expect to be forgiven for our sins, when we can't even forgive so and so for this and that.
How does it make any sense for us to beg for mercy when we are not willing to be merciful.

This hit me hard because...who do I think that I am...I am truly an unworthy sinner, but the Lord loves me unconditionally no matter how many times I have chosen things that will separate me from Him. No matter how many times I have chosen to walk away from Him and disrespect Him...He still loves me. There is nothing that I can do for Him to love me more or less.

The only thing that is in my power is whether I choose to first, accept His love and then live according to His love. The same thing when dealing with other people. They may hurt us and cause us pain that we don't deserve, but the only thing we have control over is whether we get angry and stay angry or whether we forgive.

Sometimes forgiveness is seen as weakness because people say how can you let them do that to you etc etc, but what do you think Jesus heard as we was carrying His cross? Many said if you are the Son of God then get yourself off this cross, but instead of doing that, which He could have He looked up into the heavens and said Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.
He was a a Innocent man made to suffer like a criminal.

Why do we expect anything different for our lives?

In our suffering we can choose to unite ourselves with God and be lifted up with Him in glory or we can hold on to anger and wrath.

Let us not be fooled by the devil any longer. Our desires as Christian is that every man will be raised up in Glory with God. This includes our enemies, the ones that annoy, frustrate and hurts us. We must be willing to forgive in order to be forgiven. In the end the Lord is the judge and He will deal out justice, not us. Therefore, lets free ourselves from the chains of anger.

May we have the courage to beg the Lord for mercy and the strength to unite ourselves to the cross and be merciful to those that hurt us.

Amen.