Committed to Our Best

Symptoms point to an illness, to something that is not right in our bodies. This is a simple truth and one that we readily accept. A fever is symptomatic of an infection. Runny nose and sore throat are symptoms of the common cold. Feelings of helplessness might point to depression. Though symptoms are annoying and sometimes rather unpleasant, the discomfort we feel helps us to recognize that something is wrong. The existence of the symptoms allows for the recognition of the illness.

The same truth exists in our spiritual lives. Restlessness, anxiety, anguish, and discontent pervade the spiritual life. And though these symptoms are rather unpleasant, the discomfort we often experience is God's way of helping us to recognize that something is wrong--we are sick, we are broken, we are in need of him.

The truth is that the Lord is not committed to our comfort. He does not make decisions based on ease. And he is not committed to what we desire or what we think is best. Pope Benedict XVI explains this truth so brilliantly in his statement that "The ways of the Lord are not comfortable, but we were not created for comfort, but for greatness for good". God is not committed to our comfort, but to our best. God is not committed to making our lives easy, but is committed to allowing us to recognize the greatness offered in him. God is not committed to our plans and desires, for those plans do not provide the profound goodness and utter satisfaction as his do.

Being committed to our best, he will allow suffering and discomfort if it points us to the healing found in him. Jeremiah 4:19 says, "How I suffer! The walls of my heart! My heart beats wildly, I cannot be still". If we face restlessness of our souls, there must be something that quiets them. If we face dissatisfaction, there must be something that could make us more satisfied. If we face anxiety, there must exist something that brings reassurance. We must be people who welcome the anguish that we might recognize the ways the Lord is pointing us to something greater, something better, something more.

So today we pray, Lord, that you might fill our souls with a constant restlessness if it makes us realize that our rest is found in you. Continue to make us feel overwhelmed by the mission you entrust to us if it makes us draw nearer to you and not rely on our own abilities. Make us uncomfortable if it means we forego our own attempts to provide reassurance and seek comfort in you. We welcome anguish and all unpleasantness, knowing that these symptoms draw us into greater trust in your authority, greater desire for your love, and greater fervor in seeking you.