Finding Strength in Faith: Overcoming Life's Struggles

Like God's people in the day of the prophet Ezekiel, we have rebelled against the Lord. We find it hard to listen and follow God's way. Man's thoughts, ideas, and designs have become the only way, leaving no room for faith or God's true word and designs. As a result, we are almost locked in man's horizontal dimension.

Therefore, like St. Paul, we are constantly grappling with the thorns in our lives. Some of us are in a constant battle to overcome those pains, temptations, and life distractions. Others, unfortunately, have succumbed to the influence of the angel or Satan, giving up the fight against their Achilles' heels and losing interest in the Lord's gospel of life. But we must remember that those struggles are meant to strengthen us.

Although the Lord permits us to be tempted and is aware that we have weaknesses that humble us and make us dependent on His grace, He expects us to pray and to use the graces given for self-upliftment and enlightenment. Even when life becomes weak and weakness invades our bones, we are expected to wait in communion with the Lord.

However, like the people of Nazareth in today's gospel, we often refuse to listen to the Lord and follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We are stuck in our ways, stuck in unbelief, and unwilling to endure or bear our sufferings, which are sometimes sent to teach us to pray, to help us to pray, and to remind us that we must call on the Lord's name. But sometimes we fail to pray. We fail to call on the Lord's name. In fact, some have stopped praying because they have succumbed to the assailment of their pains and the thoughts of a distant God who cares less for His people.

But the psalmist reminds us today that our eyes must be on the Lord until He shows us His mercy. The Lord has always shown us His mercies, either when He denies us our request in love for a greater good, or when He permits us to suffer in order to empower us with the spirit of endurance, patience, trust, and hope in Him. And so, my brothers and sisters, we must have faith and trust in the Lord in times of rebellion, struggle, and temptation.

It is our unwavering faith and trust in the Lord that will guide us, reassure us, and comfort us. Let us hold on to Him, our Lord. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Our Lady Sister Muslim prayed for us. He says to us through St. Paul today, My grace.