Do you ever feel like your mood changes faster than the stock market? One day you’re in a very content, happy place, and a day later you’re feeling lonely, depressed or sad?
Or better yet, do you feel wonderful in the morning and by the afternoon it’s like the tide has flipped your mood on its axis and you have no idea why?
That’s how
it’s been for me a bit lately. Very mercurial. Up and down.
At the
moment I tend to blame it on the winter season (insert visual of me with my
fist held high at the bleak, cloudy, cold sky) … but in reality, I think it
goes a bit deeper.
I think that in the moments of our lives when we tend to go up and down in our emotions, we need to have a look inside. Become interior. And it’s in these internal moments that we are forced to confront ourselves in honesty.
Our
interior honesty.
And a part
of finding that interior honesty is to face a simple truth: we are often very
skilled at lying … to ourselves.
Not the,
“I couldn’t make it to work because there was a four-car pileup on the
interstate,” type of lies.
No, I’m
talking more about the kind of lies where we deceive and justify our actions,
or the lack thereof.
For
example, are we spending enough time in the company of God?
Are we
talking to him regularly?
Are we
praying often or enough?
Are we
living in a way that represents how God would want us to live?
These are
very simple interior questions, but the answers can often become very complex.
So let’s
answer them honestly.
With no
defensiveness. No excuses. No pride. No avoidance.
Just
honest-to-goodness truthful answers that, heck, God already knows the answer to
anyway.
For me
personally, when my interior honestly kicks in, the dirt comes out faster than
a clogged vacuum cleaner.
And I
start to realize just how weak and miserable I am when God isn’t truly the
center of my life.
And I’m
willing to bet that most of our excuses are pretty much the same: “I’m too
busy,” “I’m feeling spiritually dry,” “I’m suffering” … the list goes on and
on.
But the
funny thing is, when we really examine the reasons for not praying (and again, being
completely honest with ourselves), every excuse is actually a validation of why
we absolutely need God at that moment.
I love the quote from Saint Francis de Sales, “Everyone of us needs a half hour of prayer every day, except when we are busy — then we need an hour.” It sounds so counterproductive, but actually, it’s spot on.
It’s easy
to be happy and confident when things are going well. But it’s also very easy
to go to the other extreme of discouragement, sadness, or fear as dryness or
difficulties come into our lives.
But it’s only
when we put our complete dependence on God that we’re better able to navigate
and manage the hard times, whether they last for days, hours or minutes.
Because at
the end of the day there is a hard but vital lesson that each and every one of
us must face – without God we are nothing.
And a deep
appreciation of this truth will help us to better control our thoughts and
desires. And it will help us to be stronger in times of temptation.
When we
are feeling defeated or weak, it’s then that we must pray and converse
with God the most, so that we can rise from the ashes of sadness and despair with
more determination.
God has a
plan for every single one of us. A unique plan. A plan that fits each of us
perfectly as individuals.
Stop and
think about that for a moment. It’s worth repeating.
God has a
plan for every single one of us.
A unique
plan.
A plan
that fits each of us perfectly as individuals.
God has a
plan for you. A plan that is focused on your eternal happiness and salvation.
There will
be times when God gives you interior joy, peace and even exhilaration to do
good and to help others.
And at
other times, you will feel void of these interior gifts, perhaps feeling
dejected, gloomy, unhappy and discouraged. And somehow, with God, you will still
be able to reach out and show kindness to others who are in need of it.
But with
God in your life … in your prayers … in your thoughts … and in frequent
conversation with Him, you will begin to feel more balanced, without giving in
to the moods and feelings that can ruin the day.
You’ll
more quickly recognize and understand that moods and feelings shift often, and
that through the interior honesty that God provides, you’ll be reminded during
times of trials and struggles, that the peace you experienced previously will
return again in due time.
Life is a
journey. A journey that if we choose wisely leads us to an eternal union with
Christ – even starting here.
The next time you’re feeling down, whether it be a rainy day, or a terrible suffering, know that God is there with you and for you. Always. And through the hard times, He seeks you even more, so that He can be your strength. The Rock that you need at this very moment.
Stay at
the side of our Lord always, whether you feel yourself raised up in joy or
submerged in spiritual darkness and sadness. Or even if you’re just sick of
winter.
Learn to
become dependent on God for all things. Because without Him we are nothing and
can do nothing.
And by
admitting our dependence on Him, our daily life becomes better and more
fulfilling, in both the happy and sad times.
So let’s
give our whole selves over to God. Right
here. Right now.
No regrets.
✠
Photo by José Ignacio Pompé on Unsplash
