Friday, March 18, 2022

Nouwen Meditation: Dare to Stand in Your Suffering

Now & Then Podcast
In this very timely episode of Henri Nouwen, Now & Then, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Archbishop Borys Gudziak talks about the harsh realities facing the Ukrainian people, and how their faith and strength of character have already given them the moral victory.

DAILY MEDITATION | MARCH 18, 2022
Dare to Stand in Your Suffering
I really want to encourage you not to despair, not to lose faith, not to let go of God in your life, but stand in your suffering as a person who believes that she is deeply loved by God. When you look inside yourself, you might sometimes be overwhelmed by all the brokenness and confusion, but when you look outside toward him who died on the cross for you, you might suddenly realize that your brokenness has been lived through for you long before you touched it yourself.

Suffering is a period in your life in which true faith can emerge, a naked faith, a faith that comes to life in the midst of great pain. The grain, indeed, has to die in order to bear fruit and when you dare to stand in your suffering, your life will bear fruit in ways that are far beyond your own predications or understanding. . . . Spend some time each morning doing nothing but simply sitting in the presence of God and saying the Jesus Prayer. Gradually, God will enter your heart in a new way and bring new light into your struggle.
"Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me. Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me."

PSALM 69:15,16 (NIV)
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