Christ As Our Compass. By: C.C.

"You will find no vocation, no state in life, where there are no bitter experiences, no annoyances, no hard times. Everyone, except those who are fully resigned to the will of God, would like to change places with someone else. This general uneasiness of souls proceeds from the distaste they find when things do not go their way, and a certain influence of the evil spirit who presents the state of others as better than their own. But that is not true; whoever does not resign himself completely to the will of God will turn here and turn there, but he will never find peace." (St. Francis De Sales)
     Our pursuit for peace is one that potentially goes unidentified by us. We often walk aimlessly seeking exterior things- striving to obtain love, happiness, success and wealth. The moment discomfort happens we might naturally respond with the impulsive yearning to flee, to move on, to change our direction and our place. We feel this burning fire within us of unrest and discontent in these scenarios. One may even think that by changing the peripheral things they will find inner rest and peace.
      Undoubtedly, our environments can indeed add to some of the inner unrest that one may experience. It is foolish for me to dismiss the reality of this. However, at the same time, one must also recognize the power of accepting the natural difficulties that will arise throughout our lives. As St. Francis De Sales reminds us, "You will find no vocation, no state in life, where there are no bitter experiences, no annoyances, no hard times." I have reflected this past week on the importance of embracing our crosses in order to follow Christ, in order to share in the glory that can only be experienced once we embrace, accept, and conquer our difficulties. 
      When things do not "go our way", we often will to change our direction and find a new way for ourselves. We "turn here and turn there, but we will never find peace". The difficulties are unavoidable, but they do not have to be fully unbearable. It is through commiting ourselves to the will of our Lord that will  eventually lead us to find peace. Let Christ be your compass, and daily resign yourself to His will...yearning for nothing more than to follow the directions that He has set out for you.
      Yes, I understand that in order to do this one must have profound faith and hope in the Lord. However, it is often in simply tiring from attempting to map our own way that one may finally cry out "Lord, please show me the way you would like me to walk, provide me with the strength to accept the difficulties and annoyances that I am facing". Regardless of what it is that leads one to surrender and reach for the compass of Christ, the most important thing is that we do.
      Lord, today I pray that each of us can make peace with the fact that our struggles and difficulties will always be present. Help us recognize that by resigning ourselves to Your will we can meet the peace that you desire for each of your children. Lord, often in frustration we are not sure what Your will is. Provide us with this clarity in our times of confusion. And Lord, hear us as we simply say "I resign myself to God's will"..let these words carry us to a deeper union with You, and a clearer path. Amen (C.C.)