Sisters of Christian Charity

"It is a great grace that God should permit us to assist in the spread of his kingdom."   
-- Blessed Pauline

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish
one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit,
singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. (Colossians 3:16)

It typically goes against our sensibility to be thankful for the negative and the troubles in our lives, yet the above quote exhorts us to gratitude in the message of Christ, a message that includes the cross. Our crosses come in many shapes and sizes yet God will take those hardships and make something good come from them. Remember the time something went wrong and you wound up in a certain place at the right moment to meet someone that changed your life for the better? How about the ordeal you went through that enabled you to help someone else going through something similar? The one that moved you to a better place, job or other situation? God is with us through all of these troubles giving us strength and helping us to grow. The good these struggles do is sometimes revealed to us and sometimes isn't yet the promise remains “that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) Let us then be grateful for these opportunities for growth and the chance to share in the sufferings of Christ who has given Himself for our salvation.