Love and suffering

 

Suffering is an inevitable and a gracious(1) companion on the path of Love.

Through suffering, God perfects us in HIS Love, and brings us closer(2) to HIM.

The way of Jesus Christ is Love.

Love willingly suffers(3), for the honour of God.

Love obediently(4) suffers, for love always does God's will.

Love joyfully suffers, that Christ, our joy, may live(5) with us.

Where there is love, there is suffering.

Where there is suffering(6), there is Christ.

Where there is Christ, there is Love, Joy and Peace(7).

[1]God bestows HIS favour on those who love HIM and suffer for HIM.

[2]God makes us HIS children.

 

[3]Love willingly and patiently suffers, to unite people with God— to bring unbelievers and sinners to good faith in God— by their exemplary life in Christ.

 

[4]Obedient to God— obedient to HIS commandment of love.

 

[5]Christ, our joy, may live within us to heal us; strengthen us and perfect us.

 

[6]Christ suffered for us and is still suffering with us.

 

[7]In the cauldron of sufferings, God's Peace comes to console us, as it came to console Shadrach; Meshach and Abed-Nego, in the burning fiery furnace.

Working together with God

 

Our efforts must work together(1) with God's Grace(2).

For God's Grace is a living water, in which human efforts come to fruition.

Let our life be on the path of love (of God), then our efforts will be rightly guided for the welfare of humankind, and generously accompanied by God's Grace.

[1]Our efforts must conform to God's ways. God's Grace is on the path that gives honour to God— not on the path of selfish ambition; self-interest; self-indulgence and restless curiosity that manipulates nature; defiles human dignity and tampers God's creation.

[2]God's Blessing is always with us. God is always ready to help us— provided we are with God— on the path of God;

provided our Faith is with God; our Humility is with God;

provided our efforts are not inclined on the path of self-glory and pride and defiance to God.

Mercy of God

 

There is no great a sin, that is greater than the mercy of God.

There is no great a sin, that cannot be forgiven by the mercy of God.

 

 

 

God is ready and willing to forgive us, and heal us— if we are ready to humble ourselves before God; acknowledge our sins and trust in HIS "Great Mercy".

 

King David did it.

Mary Magdalene did it.

St. Augustine of Hippo did it.

 

God, Heavenly Father, is Patiently waiting for you— to forgive you and bring you to new life, in Jesus Christ, HIS Beloved Son.

 

A Hopeful way in the impossible

Sometimes, we experience times and circumstances in our life, where we come to a dead end1.

In such adverse times, we need to follow the wise words of Prophet Moses— to be calm; steadfast and trust wholeheartedly in God.

We must humble ourselves before God; be calm2 and put our trust in God and our life in God's merciful hands.

Then, God in HIS saving justice, will certainly show HIS Great Mercy and part3 difficult circumstances aside and open a hopeful way in the impossible.

 

 

 

 

1. There seems no way out—  like Prophet Moses and people of Israel stood helpless beside the impossible Red sea.

 

2.  Let fear and anxieties aside and wait patiently with persevering Faith in God. 

 

3. The way God parted the impossible Red sea, and made a hopeful way for the Israelites.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In present worldwide crisis, we need the Love and Mercy of God, to sustain us and survive all that is going to happen to us. It is the foolishness and stubbornness of human pride to always rely on human assistance. Rather, we must rely on God and put our whole life at the Mercy of God and invoke HIS saving help. Only with God, we shall triumph over any difficult circumstances.

 

 

 

 

 

Faith

 A strong Faith perseveres in God and humbly waits upon God with hope, even when our understanding fails to comprehend times and circumstances and God's will.

Love God

Love God through repentance: acknowledge your sins and renounce your sins and amend your life in Love.

Love God through humility:  acknowledge God's authority in your life and govern your life by the commandment of Love; willingly accept God's plan for your life— and patiently bear your daily cross.

Love God through kindness and charity:  help the needy and the orphans; administer justice to the needy; use your time and talents generously for good cause.

Love God through suffering:  patiently bear your sufferings and difficulties of life; willingly accept suffering from God's hand;  attend to the sick; help those in distress— comfort them.

Love God through forgiveness: forgive the people who hurt you and ill-treated you; all those who unloved you; all those who despised you; all those who abused you; all those who cursed you.

Love God through reconciliation: reconcile your life with God;  reconcile with your spouse; reconcile with your parents; reconcile with all those with whom your relationship has gone sour.

Love God through gentleness: be gentle and polite and peaceable, in dealing with all people— and especially when people oppose you; be gentle when you correct people who wrong you.

Love God through patience and understanding: be patient, when your life is tested by adverse circumstances; be patient and understanding with all those who ill-treat you, irritate you and speak calumny against you; be patient with yourself— with your weaknesses; shortcomings and your sins.

Love God through mercy: be merciful to all those who seek your pardon and mercy; be generous to the needy.

Love God through obedience: be obedient to God's commandment; be obedient to your parents (love them; respect them; be kind to them; sympathize with them); be obedient to your superiors/employers; be obedient to those who demand your obedience viz. the governing body of a nation.

Do everything conscientiously—  as a love offering to God.

The burden of life— burden of sin

The burden of life feels heavy and unbearable¹. But truly, it is not the burden of life, that lays heavy on us— it is the burden of sins, that lays heavy on our heart and our soul.

The tempter subtly deceives us in believing the heaviness of the burden of life— and averts our heart from considering the burden of sin.

When the burden of sin is removed from our heart through repentance, and the yoke of love is laid on our shoulders, our burden feels light— the yoke of Jesus is easy and light². The yoke of love is a mighty strength, and a strong rampart³  for our heart.

Although, the burden of life still persist— we now have a Peaceful heart, which is yoked with the love of Christ.

A Peaceful heart, at Peace with God, has unflagging strength to live happily under any circumstances, and carry every burden of life— easily and willingly.

1. When we get too involved in the activities of the world— all we reap is a burden of restlessness (our restless heart seeks the satisfactions of the world; it seeks the appreciation from the world; it seeks the love from the world; it seeks praise and honour from the world) and dissatisfaction (dissatisfaction with the life we are living; with the job; with the salary; with your spouse etc.).
Restlessness and dissatisfaction is a burden which every worldly heart carries. A heart that is burdened with anxiety; restlessness; dissatisfaction and sin, has not the strength to endure the burden of life.


2. With Christ on our side, nothing seems burdensome; no suffering seems unbearable. When our restless heart seeks the love of God— it is truly consoled and relieved from the burden of sin.

3. No evil can overcome the power of Jesus's Love. No evil can divide a heart; a family; a world, that is built on Jesus's  commandment of Love— that's why Jesus commanded us to build our life on HIS Love— that our heart and our life may rest in HIS Peace.