Stay In The Boat The Lord Has Placed You In
The solid foundation of our life is God. Without God, life’s winds and storms are going to blow you away. With God, He may allow the storm to rage around you, but He won’t let you succumb to its fury.
Satisfaction and peace are found in interior disposition, not external circumstances.
Many suffer from “nothing is ever enough” syndrome; because happiness and contentment are placed in external surroundings rather than a rock-solid interior life with Christ. If the foundation is firm, the wind that blows around it may shake the house, but the house won’t be swept away, because it lies on a solid foundation.
The solid foundation of our life is God. Without God, life’s winds and storms are going to blow you away. With God, He may allow the storm to rage around you, but He won’t let you succumb to its fury.
Do you allow yourself to be swept away by the waves of this life? Or do you stay in the boat with Christ? Jesus is The Only One who can calm the waves; so why do you run from The Only One who can calm the storm?
Do you tend to go through lists of “if only’s?” in your life?
If only the city was better,
If only I was married by now,
If only I had a different car,
If only I had a better-paying job,
If only I wasn’t getting older,
If only I had this, if only I had that. Then I would be happy.
Is living a life in perpetual discontent and running, living the “life of abundance” that Christ came to offer us?
The answer is no.
“The secret is Christ in me. Not me in a different set of circumstances.” - Elisabeth Elliot
What if you traded in “If only’s” for glory? Discontent for contentment? Running for surrender? You see, God has placed you in whatever boat you find yourself in; yet foolish as we are, we wish to be in another boat, when God is with us in the boat we are in now.
Imagine you find yourself in a boat and Jesus is sitting across from you. The waves are extremely rocky, and find yourself wishing you were in another boat on calm water.
You would be placing your source of ease in external circumstances (the water) instead of placing your contentment in The Author of Peace, Jesus, who dwells in your midst.
Do you want to be in a different set of circumstances, or have you yet to realize that The Giver of Peace dwells within you? Therefore He who gives peace as the world cannot give lives within you. Perhaps you just have to allow yourself to become more introspective to understand and experience this great mystery.
Could it be that the vast majority is so dizzied by the fast pace of the modern world, that “If only’s” and “What’s next?” are the only solution to temporarily distract uneasy and weary souls that haven’t tasted the sweetness of interior life with The Lord? How can modern man find contentment amongst billboard laced streets, and the overstimulation of modern technology?
Never satisfied with anything the world has to offer, nothing will ever satisfy the soul that seeks anything other than The Lord.
Have you ever read the last words of the martyrs?
Here’s some poignant last words to ponder on :
“Lord, eternal King of glory, receive me hanging from the wood of this sweet Cross. Thou who art my God, whom I have seen, do not permit them to loosen me from the cross. Do this for me, O Lord, for I know the virtue of Thy Holy Cross.” - Saint Andrew
“Long live Christ the King! (Addressed to his executioners)” - Blessed Miguel Pro
“Stand fast in the faith and love one another.” (Addressed to her brother) - Saint Perpetua
“If all the swords in England were pointed against my head, your threats would not move me. I am ready to die for my Lord, that in my blood the Church may obtain liberty and peace.” (Addressed to his murderers) - Saint Thomas à Becket
“May God forgive you, brother.” (Addressed to his murderer) - Saint Wenceslaus
One could say that the martyrs were placed in the most difficult of circumstances. Yet their last words before martyrdom were not that of “If only this wasn’t happening to me” or various complaints, or wishing they were in a different set of circumstances, but rather heroic words that display what true faith looks like.
Perhaps we all could learn a thing or two from the martyrs.
Saint Joan of Arc
I don’t know about you, but I’m choosing to live in the joy and peace that only Christ can offer.
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.” - John 14:27
Serviam
May 4th is the feast day of the Martyrs of the Carthusian order.
I invite you to read my articles of the week on “Catholic365.com” :
"The Light On The Water" & "It's Time To Exit Time"
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