What a weak bunch we all are as human beings! We can make all the plans we want, feign competence all we want, yet we always end up flat on our faces! And what a blessing, too, because it's only when our nose hits the ground that we realize how little and weak we are!The important thing to remember when we're lying prostrate is that Christ is behind us, tapping us on the shoulder and telling us to get back up. HE is our only strength, our only joy, our only hope for forgiveness, mercy, and kindness. What a gift!!
And yet, we are not to remain down in this position! We are called to get up, after having fallen, to be brought back to fulfillment in Him who died for us! We are not to be denied the richness, vibrancy, joy, and love of our lives, but rather to fall so that we realize how precious those gifts are! We are to be encouraged all the more to get up so that Christ can again bless us with everything He has given us - a new gift, all over again!
Think of priestly ordination. As a part of the ceremony, they lie prostrate on the ground, in complete submission to God and His Will, recognizing their weakness on their own, and their strength in Christ. And then, GET THIS, they become OTHER CHRISTS when the ceremony is done! What a difference between total weakness and total strength! What an amazing conversion from nothingness to everything!!!
In our lives, when we stumble and fall, when we hit the ground face-first and our pride cries out "OWWWW THAT HURT!," let us remember that the fall is an opportunity to rise, as Jesus Christ himself did, from the Hell of our fallen and broken nature to new life in Christ! Let us see our falling down as an opportunity to arise anew in His strength, love and truth! Let us allow ourselves to rediscover the gifts He has given us from our birth, and go forth renewed by His Spirit, all the stronger for having been healed!!
God allows us to fall for one reason: so that we can arise with Him and know Him by His love! Let us learn from our falls and accept His mercy, free from the shackles of sin and death by His grace! Free to be vibrant, joyful, and full of life, able to come to the fullness of His love and truth with pure hearts!!
In Christ through Mary,
Christina :)
Beautiful Christina!
ReplyDeleteI have heard it said that we learn more from our failures than our successes. I think that is probably true ... not that I fancy all that many failures even though I know I want to learn. Still, having lived as long as I have, I have made oh so many mistakes (and committed just about every sin!) so I keep hoping God can make good use of all those lessons!
Great post! God bless you!