Living Large

Henry Nouwen once wrote,

The grateful life is to remember Jesus and try to imitate him when we are no longer in control of our situations, be they personal, or family or other occasions of loss. Of course, this does not mean that we remain in destructive situations or that we allow others to take away our integrity. But so often we must suffer loss and breakage, not because we deserve them but because of our human weakness. God is close to the brokenhearted and will support us as we forgive those who wound us. In moving from resentment to gratitude we tap into deep waters of inner freedom and love.

It is always such a shock when we are hurt, especially by someone we love. When sorting through conflict or broken relationships, we must stay spiritually centered. Instead of seeing hardship as a sign of God's absence, we must learn to see it through the lens of faith. God can use our struggles to draw us closer to Christ. Though God does not want us to suffer, God can use our pain and transform it into wisdom, patience, humility, forgiveness and love.

Jesus was not exempt from broken relationships, nor will we be. We must learn to grow through human brokenness to discover new life. Jesus teaches us that we can become better instead of bitter when we are hurt or wounded. During Holy Week, we remember how Christ encountered betrayal and abuse with divine grace. Regardless of what was said or done to him, Jesus refused to stop loving others. Through Christ's enduring spirit, we can practice gratitude instead of resentment. Through faith, we can taste the sweet waters of Christ's love instead of the sour vinegar of self-pity, self-righteous anger and revenge.


Weekly Challenge: Be grateful! Thank God throughout the day for the gift of life and love. Pray for people or situations that irritate you. Ask God to help you become better instead of bitter.