Not Alone Series: Feeling Down

What ways do you run to implore the Lord's help when you are struggling? Do you always spend time in Adoration? Do you dive into the bible? Automatically go to Confession? Could you be better? And what about those times when things are good and you are joyous? Do you still give the Lord your time?

"Come to me all who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

I try. I really, really try. I'm not perfect at it but I try really hard and sometimes get it right.

Daily Mass, great for starting the workday. My job consists of 10 people asking for different things at the same time on top of regular deadlines and another 10 coming in right after for yet more things. Patience was not my go to virtue but since I've started going to Daily Mass I've noticed a change in my attitude. Patience is still not a perfect virtue but I'v learnt to take a deep breath and call on the Lord more often.

Adoration. I love Adoration and I'm getting good at getting there every week. I've picked a date and a time unless it's a life and death emergency I tell most people that I'm busy. Last year I thought about weekly Adoration but didn't see how I could fit it in. Now I try to get there more than once for the week if I can. Sometimes all I do is sit and many times that is all I need, an hour or so sitting with Jesus.

Bible. Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. I've read the whole thing at least once. I've pulled out verses that really touched me at the time and written some down, underlined others. I hate writing in books, really really do but my bibles are underlined, highlighted and scribbled all over. I just go out and buy a new one (different version) when I need more space. I have four so far but really only use two most of the time. In times of struggle I have my go to verses written all over the place and if I sort of remember one that I don't really know it I google the part that I remember and usually find the full verse. I repeat it to myself, I think about it, I pray it, I hold on to it to get me through.

Music. Sometimes I don't even want to think because even that is too hard so I just put on some christian music really loud and let it play. When I feel like singing along I know I'm feeling better. Surrounding myself with positive words and messages is so much better for me than the music I used to listen to, to match my mood.

I'm constantly learning new ways to run to the Lord when I'm struggling and the best time to learn them is in the good times so I'm working on doing these things all the time.

How do you handle your struggles? Do you remember the Lord in the good times? Leave a comment and visit Morgan for the link-up to see what everyone else is saying.

Awesome

The definition of Awesome, an adjective according to the dictionary is
1."inspiring an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, or fear; causing or inducing awe: anawesome sight."
2."showing or characterized by reverence, admiration, or fear; exhibiting or marked by awe.
3. "Slang. very impressive"

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." Prov 1:7

Fear of the Lord is a deep reverence for God, to be in awe of God. As we get to know God, to learn more and more about Him we get to see how Awesome He is. 

God has no beginning and no end. He created us purely out of love not because He needs anything from us. Even after we turn our back on Him again and again He keeps coming to save us. He keeps loving us even when we refuse to love Him, He does great and wonderful things for us even when we don't deserve it.

God breathe life into us - Gen 2:7-8

We all turned our backs on Him - Rom 3:23

He still gave us His Son to be be our mediator, our Saviour - John 3:16

Testing Your Faith Produces Endurance

....That is James 1:3 and the topic of our 1st talk on Saturday morning (3rd of the weekend). It was the most powerfully delivered talk of the weekend and there were some really powerful talks over this weekend.

Fr Cornelius is a dynamic, powerful speaker, he speaks easily to all ages. He speaks easily to the youths without cheapening the message and the adults don't feel like they are being dumbed down.

The scripture verse calls for us to be strong in trust. If you want to build muscles then you go to the gym, put in the time and effort and sweat. If you want to be a great athlete then you train, you persevere through failures, if you fail then you get back up and try again. That's how we need to be about our Faith, we need to put in the time and effort to build our relationship with God. If we don't put in the effort or put in a half effort we can't expect to have a strong Faith or to stand strong in trust.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His power. Put on the whole armour of God, so that you may be able stand against the wiles of the devil." Eph 6:10-11. How do you grow strong in the Lord? Get to know Him. Fr C said if you want to know about someone you can google them and you can find out all kinds of info but if you want to get to know them then you spend time with them, develop a real relationship. Therefore you need to develop a relationship with Him, pray, read your bible, attend Mass regularly, frequent the Sacraments, learn about your Catholic Faith.

God is bigger than everything - our troubles, worries, problems, persecution, trials and the devil. We just need to persevere and don't give up. We easily persevere with everything in our life but in our Faith we easily give up on our Faith with the slightest change in the wind.

"and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved." Matt:22