The church, is always in the midst of a storm… but safe in Him

Devotional Thought of the Day:
¹¹  I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night— ¹²  but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you. Psalm 139:11-12 (NLT)

101    Persevere in prayer. Persevere, even when your efforts seem sterile. Prayer is always fruitful.
102    Your mind is sluggish and won’t work. You struggle to coordinate your ideas in the presence of our Lord, but it’s useless: a complete fog! Don’t force yourself, and don’t worry either. Listen closely: it is the hour for your heart.

Recently, the skies in Southern California were filled with clouds.  Not the light fluffy kind that seems so high, but the dark, ugly, black storm clouds. The kind of clouds that are once fascinating, but also frightening.

Some of us are enduring those clouds spiritually.  Whether the storms are coming or not, we feel almost paralyzed as the clouds gather around us, coming at us from every direction. 

it is at those times when my prayers seem hollow, my devotions, just going through the motions. I want to move on past them, but the fog which St. Josemaria describes is enveloping us, just as the darkness seems to cover us.

St Josemaria advises us to persevere in prayer, not in pushing our prayer, but listening more carefully, becoming aware of the Lord’s presence, until it shatters the darkness, until the Holy Spirit breathes into us, clearing away the fog. comforting us,  loving us. 

SO what do we do?  Do we fight the burden?  Do we just abandon our prayer time, discounting it as too draining, to ineffective, and not worth it?  Do we let guilt swallow us because we wonder if our faith is lacking and that is why our prayers are so dry?

I’ve been there, done that, given up, said I will come back in tomorrow, or next week, and once, it was a year…

What I didn’t realize was that these “down times” are essential for my spiritual health.  They teach me like they did Ezekiel, who hid in a cave, waiting to find God in the storm and in the fire, then recognizing God’s still small voice after hiding.  Why else would Jesus Himself head into the mountains to pray, or go to the garden, begging his friends to watch and pray with Him? 

We need to be ministered to by God.  We need to let Him love us, care for us, comfort us, and kindle the spark of love that exists in us. 

As I come out of these times or at least see the light of the tunnel, I can begin to realize the power of God that raised Christ from the dead is at work in our lives.  

And I need that… so need that.

So I’ve learned to try and persist in prayer, waiting to hear He will have mercy, to know His presence and love.  ANd some days, I can even rejoice in the dry times, knowing that God is going to take care of it.

As he does for all He loves… and you are one of those He does!

AMEN!

Escriva, Josemaria. The Way (Kindle Locations 389-392). Scepter Publishers. Kindle Edition.