Embracing struggle
During the dark night, I have come to realize that God did not change; my understanding of Him has changed. I an no longer a child dancing in the field. I have grown up. I have moved into the next evolution of our relationship. The one where He doesn't give me every next step. I have spent time in getting to know the voice of my Savior, but He doesn't give me all the answers.
Struggle is hard. We say with our mouth that there will be struggle in this life and we must count the cost of becoming a believer, but we don't really think we will have to struggle. We are shocked when bad things happen to good people. We are frustrated when bad things keep happening.
Mother Teresa embraces struggle by finding joy in the struggle.
In my mind, I did not make choices in my life that intentionally put me in the way of struggle. Mother Teresa chose to live among the poor in the harshest conditions, so of course, she will have struggles and hardships. But why do I have struggles?
The church has not taught us how to deal or go through our struggles and learn from them. We are to get in them and move on as quickly as possible, as not to disturb someone else, or create a stumbling block for them.
But we have lost the ability to learn from our dark nights. We don't embrace struggle to find joy. We don't break out anger and fear and doubt and grief so we can learn from it. We are to simply move past it and get back to being ok.
It is ok, to not be ok.
And maybe we should stay in not ok a little longer.
Why did Jesus preach this? Why did he bless people who are in a dark night?
Struggle is hard. We say with our mouth that there will be struggle in this life and we must count the cost of becoming a believer, but we don't really think we will have to struggle. We are shocked when bad things happen to good people. We are frustrated when bad things keep happening.
Mother Teresa embraces struggle by finding joy in the struggle.
In my mind, I did not make choices in my life that intentionally put me in the way of struggle. Mother Teresa chose to live among the poor in the harshest conditions, so of course, she will have struggles and hardships. But why do I have struggles?
The church has not taught us how to deal or go through our struggles and learn from them. We are to get in them and move on as quickly as possible, as not to disturb someone else, or create a stumbling block for them.
But we have lost the ability to learn from our dark nights. We don't embrace struggle to find joy. We don't break out anger and fear and doubt and grief so we can learn from it. We are to simply move past it and get back to being ok.
It is ok, to not be ok.
And maybe we should stay in not ok a little longer.
Why did Jesus preach this? Why did he bless people who are in a dark night?
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
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