Reflections

I went to Theology on Tap today in Remus... which got me thinking about a lot of things that I seem to have been avoiding lately.

The speaker said some great things about what it is that God asks of us and how so many of the challenges we face lead us into what is only meant for us to do and nobody else. This made me think about so many of the challenges I've been faced with recently and how I've been handling them. I need to accept what is put before me as a gift, even if the task is difficult or involves suffering... I am the only person having this very experience. Every moment that I live - nobody else is given a moment like it. Every person's life is such a unique gift from God and even though it is exceedingly difficult to contemplate... nobody gets to experience the same thing.

Every challenge, every obstacle.... is an opportunity for you to grow closer to God. Just think of how much progress one could make with this attitude. I know that my life would be a heck of a lot easier if I could hold this as my own personal outlook on life. It's far easier said than done of course... like so many other things in life.

Some of the biggest challenges include taking a step forward - away from past failures and pains. I know that I often hang on to the past. It can be a good thing sometimes... but it usually is not. I only hope that I can move forward and keep the past in the past. I know I have a lot to look forward to in the future, but sometimes that vision gets clouded with the stress of the present. It's funny I say that now... being on winter break. I should be able to see clearly and be optimistic, but it seems that there are still things stopping me. I don't know if it's a subconscious pang or what... but, it's still just not that easy to think positively about many things in the future. There's so much crap in this world and it's hard to sift through it to get to where optimism can exist.

Thankfully, after this talk, it has given me a chance to be grateful and stop whining about annoyances. I am thankful for the opportunity to grow in love with God and move on from the everyday problems to new beginnings and a hopeful outlook.