Slogging on

It's so easy to for me, to fall into a victim mentality, to start thinking about how wronged I am. I should have this, I should have that, I should have some money, I should have more books, I should be in a relationship, I should have nice clothes, I should have a farm, I should have a perfect family, I should have a perfect church.

I mean, everyone else does, right?

Well, even laying aside the fact that everyone else definitely does not have all of that, it shouldn't matter. God made me who he made me and gave me what he gave me. Josh Harris has a great story about that in Boy Meets Girl. He likens life to a painting class where everyone is told to paint a certain subject but they are all given different tools to work with. I'm just starting to really realize it for myself.

Of course, it's one thing to have a realization. It's another entirely to put it into practice. I think when we come to that point, we can only put our faith in God, gird up our loins, and jump in. We will undoubtedly fall, but as St. John of Kronstadt said, when you fall, get up. When you fall down again, get up again. I have to think this way or else I'll remain in the Slough of Despond and that way lies spiritual death.

So instead, let me remember St. Paul's words. "The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light."