We’re about halfway through Lent. How has the journey been for you? Have you kept to the prayer, fasting, and almsgiving that you undertook on Ash Wednesday? Or have you faltered along the way? If the journey has been blessed, give thanks to God for that and if the journey’s been a struggle, give thanks to God for that as well and do as Jesus did in the Stations of the Cross, get up and begin again.
Sometime’s it’s tempting and easy to give into spiritual discouragement. Whether that be in failing in our Lenten commitments or any other challenge that might arise on our spiritual journeys. The spiritual journey isn’t always the proverbial “walk in the park.” Sometimes we find ourselves struggling with the same sin over and over and over again and, despite what seems like our best efforts, we haven’t been able to rid ourselves of it yet. Maybe we’ve prayed and prayed and we find ourselves wondering, “Is it really making a difference? Is it worth it?”
Spiritual discouragement takes many forms, but no matter in which form it manifests itself in our life, when we’re going through it, never give up, keep moving forward. The voice of discouragement tells us that no, it isn’t worth it. The voice of discouragement tells us that we will never be able to overcome. But the voice of God tells a different story. The voice of God is the voice of hope. The voice of God is the voice that tells us that, no matter how difficult or challenging the journey has been, no matter how many times we’ve stumbled and fallen, that is not the end of the story.
Which voice are we going to listen to? Let’s choose each day to listen to the voice of God, the voice of hope. No matter where we’ve been or where we are, let’s have the courage to pick up our cross and begin anew.