How do we arrive at the conclusions of our choices? Usually, it is through experiences of the past. At times we rely on those past experiences for fear of the unknown . . . if what we have seen or heard previously is real or perceived. It's hard to break out of old habits/thought processes. For me, faith in Christ must take precedence over any prior events charting the course of my life. Not an easy thing to do . . . but I have concluded that in times when I trust in Him and His Plan for me, life seems to flow in a more peaceful manner.
In today's Gospel (Mark 8:14-21), Jesus reminds His disciples to remember and believe:
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus enjoined them, "Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." They concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread. When he became aware of this he said to them, "Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?" They answered him, "Twelve."
"When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?" They answered him, "Seven." He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"
In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, she reminds us God is and always will be steps ahead of us, working to secure our future service leading ultimately to Him:
"There are days when the work we do for God is so steady that we do not look around. We serve without interruption, giving little thought to the bigger canvas on which God uses us to paint His story of renewal.
Sometimes we work very hard for long periods and during these periods God gives us all that we need to persist in His service. We have, during these periods of intensive service, little time to examine why we are serving God or what else we could be doing. We simply work. All is well. During these periods, God often withholds temptations of the more sublime variety, the 'Do I really want to remain on this current course?' temptations. We barrel through the work, and God flows through us mightily even though we can be largely unaware of this. After a time, we get tired. Then comes a natural break. This can come in the form of an in-between period, or it is a time-off period. Perhaps we suffer with illness or a transition of service occurs. At those times, the floodgates can open. God then allows us to struggle with the temptations necessary to secure our future service. The story with holiness, while written in the present, is concluded in the future. In other words, the end of the story is directly correlated to the action of the present. What will the end look like? That depends on what we choose today. The struggle we all experience of revulsion for the work that God wills for us is part of the work."
Lay apostles, what are you struggling with today? Bad choices? Illness? Lack of faith in God? Whatever it is, read and reread the quote from Anne's book above. We can alter our course by making the right choices today . . . by accepting our challenges in faith knowing He is in control of our destiny. With this in mind, suffering and fear feel a little lighter.
Thank you, Lord, for giving me the perseverance to push through past experiences, creating new experiences which lead to You!
God bless,
Bonnie
In today's Gospel (Mark 8:14-21), Jesus reminds His disciples to remember and believe:
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus enjoined them, "Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod." They concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread. When he became aware of this he said to them, "Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?" They answered him, "Twelve."
"When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?" They answered him, "Seven." He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"
In Anne a lay apostle's book Whispers From the Cross, she reminds us God is and always will be steps ahead of us, working to secure our future service leading ultimately to Him:
"There are days when the work we do for God is so steady that we do not look around. We serve without interruption, giving little thought to the bigger canvas on which God uses us to paint His story of renewal.
Sometimes we work very hard for long periods and during these periods God gives us all that we need to persist in His service. We have, during these periods of intensive service, little time to examine why we are serving God or what else we could be doing. We simply work. All is well. During these periods, God often withholds temptations of the more sublime variety, the 'Do I really want to remain on this current course?' temptations. We barrel through the work, and God flows through us mightily even though we can be largely unaware of this. After a time, we get tired. Then comes a natural break. This can come in the form of an in-between period, or it is a time-off period. Perhaps we suffer with illness or a transition of service occurs. At those times, the floodgates can open. God then allows us to struggle with the temptations necessary to secure our future service. The story with holiness, while written in the present, is concluded in the future. In other words, the end of the story is directly correlated to the action of the present. What will the end look like? That depends on what we choose today. The struggle we all experience of revulsion for the work that God wills for us is part of the work."
Lay apostles, what are you struggling with today? Bad choices? Illness? Lack of faith in God? Whatever it is, read and reread the quote from Anne's book above. We can alter our course by making the right choices today . . . by accepting our challenges in faith knowing He is in control of our destiny. With this in mind, suffering and fear feel a little lighter.
Thank you, Lord, for giving me the perseverance to push through past experiences, creating new experiences which lead to You!
God bless,
Bonnie
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