We should not be surprised when we are faced with our own limitations of whatever kind, and hounded by the consequences of our mistakes. We have to expect this kind of situations and learn how to handle them, converting them even into something that will be helpful to us.
And that’s because Christ has given us everything we need not only to survive but also to succeed in achieving our ultimate goal, no matter how the drama of our life goes. What we have to do always is to go to Christ, never doubting his omnipotent powers even if we are made to suffer. Yes, we also need to learn how to suffer, because suffering will be inevitable in our life.
Some verses from St. Peter’s First Letter can help us understand how suffering should be handled properly, especially when we are made to suffer unjustly. They are in the second chapter, and they go as follows (19-25):
“For one is approved if, mindful of God, he endures pain while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it, if when you do wrong and are beaten for it you take it patiently? But if when you do right and suffer for it you take it patiently, you have God’s approval.
“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. He committed no sin. No guile was found on his lips. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return. When he suffered, he did not threaten, but he trusted him who judges justly.
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.”
I believe it’s truly worthwhile to reflect on these words slowly and repeatedly, so we can have clear ideas why it’s also worthwhile when instances of unjust suffering come to us. We can find meaning, and even joy and peace, when these occasions occur.
Engraving these words in our mind and heart would help us avoid sinking into doubts, useless lamentations and despair. It would even put us in a better condition to resolve matters if they still can be humanly resolvable.
What we have to do when we find ourselves in some conditions of helplessness is to go immediately to Christ and follow his teaching and example. We should develop the instinct of going immediately to Christ. Let’s avoid rotting in sadness, lamentations, victim complex, etc. We know that what is impossible for us is always possible with Christ. What cannot anymore be solved by us can always be solved by Christ, if not here and now, then in the hereafter.
Thus, we need to strengthen our faith so we can be quick to entrust ourselves to the workings of the spiritual and supernatural realities that also govern our life. We have to remember that we are not ruled simply by biological laws or physical, chemical, social, political, economic laws. There is a higher law that governs us and that would enable us to transcend our human and earthly limitations
The secret is always to go to Christ. He always has the solutions to our problems, the answers to our questions. He always gives them, albeit not in the form we want, but always in a way that would be beneficial to us. (Fr. Roy Cimagala)
