... everything is the direct effect of our father's love — difficulties, contradictions, humiliations, all the soul's miseries, her burdens, her needs — everything, because through them, she learns humility, realizes her weakness — Everything is a grace because everything is God's gift. Whatever be the character of life or its unexpected events — to the heart that loves, all is well."
~St. Therese of Lisieux~
It is hard for us with our limited understanding to accept and trust that when life is hard that God is still very much in control. When we are experiencing tyranny or unfairness or injustice, it is hard to believe that God's loving hand would permit it.
But St. Therese's words remind us that everthing we experience, every trial and persecution is a gift from God. If we can shift our perspective and hearts to truly embrace this reality, then our lives become infused with grace and a power of love that surpasses our own limits and abilities.
When we receive every circumstance as a gift from God then we move from misery to mystery and from victimhood to victory.
In this life, we are all in the school of humility. Not one of us will graduate because the depths of humility cannot be plumbed this side of heaven. Jesus is our teacher and we can and should do whatever we can to imitate HIm but the lessons will continue till our dying breath!
I think one of the best ( and littlest) gifts we can give back to God is to stay firmly planted in the classroom of humility- accepting each lesson with patience, joy, peace and all the other fruits of the Holy Spirit that we can muster!
Lord- please help me to remember that
For the heart that loves...all is well.