Reflections of a beloved son

Aren’t you tired of living in fear and anxiety? Aren’t you tired of feeling incompetent or not good enough? It is time to reject those lies. St. Paul went from persecuting the Christians to dying as one. He encountered the Truth, was moved by it, converted, lived the Truth, and was unafraid doing so. He was not afraid because he heard the Lord say to him time and again, “Take courage. I am here with you.” On our own we cannot cast out those fears that control us but with God we can cast out those lying voices that enslave us. We must not back down. We must go forward in Truth.   We must go forward for God is with us. Pray with me, “ Lord, I reject those lies that keep me from living in the freedom you won for me!   I reject the lie that I am not good enough.   I reject the lie that I am unlovable. I know I am loved. Now, teach me to live in Your truth. You say to me, “take courage,” and so I go forward and won’t back down .”

When the world induces worry and anxiety within our hearts, know that those worries and anxieties have already been conquered. Jesus is your strength. In Him alone is your peace and joy. Do not let the lies of the world draw you in. Rather, draw close to the Father and He will draw close to you. You are not alone. God is with You. Let God into your heart and allow Him to cast out all your fears.

"I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now" (Jn. 16:12).  Jesus had much more to tell His disciples, but He knew they would be unable to hear it then.  The setting in which Jesus said that was at the last time He would be with them before He would be arrested and crucified.  Even at this time Jesus thought of His disciples.  Jesus knows His disciples well like a "shepherd who knows his sheep."  God is the same with us. There are times when we wish we knew certain pieces of information or had access to certain things, and we become frustrated and even upset with God for not giving to us what we thought we needed.  The truth is that God always know what we need .  What we think we may need, we may not be able to receive it at that time.   Sometimes there are just things that if we knew at that time we wouldn't be able to handle it then.  Perhaps our hearts were not ready, or maybe we just did not have a strong enough foundation...

Life gives to us moments everyday to make decisions - some are bigger and more important than others.  Sometimes we need to make decisions that will directly impact and affect another person.  These decisions become increasingly hard to make as one gains places in authority.  Think of the impact of the decision of a judge.  He has the power and authority to change someone's life drastically.  Luckily for most of us, we do not need to make those decisions usually.  However, even though we are not judges, there are big decisions that we need to make everyday. Will we stand up for the truth?  Will we choose to love?  Will we place ourselves in humble service of others?  When we see injustice happening around us, will we respond, " It's unfortunate that's happening.  But that's not for me to worry about. " or " What's happening isn't right. It goes against everything that truth is.  Something must be done.  What can I do? " ...