Take every anxiety to Jesus asking for His Peace. Daily we may experience trials and tribulations. Bringing them to Jesus Christ in prayer is the best response. Talking to a trust friend or spiritual director is another wise action. Life will bring challenges, but let God bring you peace and hope. Nothing is beyond our God to address. We must live in faith and turn to Him in our hour of need.
Look deeply at your sources of anxiety and frustrations. Can you accept them as what is best for you according to God and trust in His Goodness and Grace? God permits all and therefore must know what will ultimately prevail and bring good to all. Let your anxiety go. Let God’s Will be your will. Rest knowing that Jesus Christ overcomes all that can harm and threaten us!
If we know and accept God’s absolute goodness, then desiring to follow God’s Will should come naturally. Nothing that happens is not God’s Will. Either God is actively in all situations or God is not truly God. We believe that God is most certainly God of All! Knowing this we must learn to listen and follow God’s Ways and Will. When we do, life will be as it is intended. This is ultimately our lifelong goal in faith.
In this life, we will suffer. Do so with the strength of the saintly martyrs. Use their examples of sacrifice to gain courage to endure trials and tribulations with the love of Christ. Pray to the Mother of Martyrs, Mary, for patient perseverance in all hurts and losses. The holy martyrs valued faith, hope, and love above even life. This devotion is worth celebrating and honoring with our own commitment to a life of Grace.
Eternity lasts forever! Do not hesitate to run the race needed to gain this great prize. The martyrs gave their very lives to hold true to their faith in Jesus Christ. No greater sacrifice of love is possible. Let us give our lives daily in great love to others in Christ. Eternal joy is the reward for a life well-lived. Let us smile and re-commit to a life of great faith, hope, and love!
Are we ready to meet our Maker? Can we stand before Jesus? Our final thoughts and prayers are worth considering as we live each day. Death may come sooner than we imagine. If we live each day as if it were our last, we would be prepared daily for our final hour. Death gives life meaning. A good and holy attitude prepares us for whatever may come. Lean on Jesus and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit daily. Then, together we can claim our eternal prize of Heaven!
Are you ever tempted to deny your faith? Even in small ways, we can be asked to deny our faith and its impact on our lives. We know deep within that Jesus Christ died for us and saves us. We know the life-giving power of His Presence. We feel the Holy Spirit and praise the Creator. Give glory to God with your words and actions daily! Let your soul sing His Salvation! Give your smile of love away freely! Stand firm in small and large trials of faith!
The holy martyrs gave their lives for Jesus following in His holy footsteps. Are we prepared for sacrifices as well? Can we give our daily lives to Him and His Ways? By meditating on the sacrifices of martyrs and saints, we can devote our own lives to Jesus and bringing other people to Him. This is our response to the Crucified Christ who lived and died for us! Resurrection awaits those who sacrifice greatly!
Do you notice your natural inclinations? Are they helpful or hurtful in your life of Christ? Even our natural inclinations which we see as ours must be examined for their ability to give our lives to God. Give all to Jesus Christ and His Ways. Ask God for His help in melding your natural inclinations in a way that aid in your salvation and your ability to serve others. Let’s give our all to Jesus Christ out of deep love.
We should seek the joys and consolations of God. However, if we do so with an extreme, it can diminish our growth in Love. Penances, fasting, excessive prayer can all be beyond what is sought by Jesus. Moderation, even in the spiritual practices, is needed. Guidance from a good spiritual director or pastor is necessary to understand when we may go too far in our pursuit of God. Practice devotion with moderation. However, do be devoted. The rewards are life-giving!