Words of Hope: When despair comes
Dad loved the Ignatian spiritual exercises. He used them diligently to listen and discern God’s will in decision making.
When in despair, Ignatian cautions not to change course or make decisions when experiencing hardship and difficulty. Negative emotions such as anger, bitterness, and resentment cannot provide the wisdom necessary for quality relating and life calling.
What should we do instead of making a decision in the suffering moment? Dad would say slow down, be still, sing, pray more rather than less, be more patient and less hasty.
How often we make more mistakes when we are in a hurry or trying to get through the painful situation as quickly as possible!
Stop and ask:
Did I commit myself to this work or this relationship before I encountered difficulty?
Did I experience God’s blessing on this commitment before the hardship?
How easy is the course of quitting or stopping on this commitment? Ease is one of the seductions to quit.
What do my key mentors recommend?
How can I wait, slow down, sing and pray more during this difficult time?
I picture a lovely conversation with my Dad as we walk through each of these questions.
Blessings to you as you navigate both the joys and sorrows of this life.
The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. – Psalm 25:14
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