"Let Nothing Trouble You". By: C.C.

"Let nothing trouble you, let nothing frighten you. All things are passing; God never changes. Patience obtains all things. He who possesses God lacks nothing: God alone suffices" (St. Teresa of Avila)

    These words from St. Teresa of Avila have always brought me great comfort. I have visited them many times throughout my journey of faith and each time I read them they speak so differently. Revisiting these words not only confirms the fact of how much we as individuals grow and change within our spiritual life, they also affirm that God is constant and His love unchanging.
   St. Teresa of Avila did not share these words without also empathizing with the emotion of which they are written; she identifies with each of us. 
   As I read this quotation today I can not help but smile. I reflect upon the many times that I have felt troubled and afraid. I remember that these emotions and situations did indeed pass away. It was in clinging to God despite the heaviness of my burdens that I was brought great comfort. Through faith we can endure whatever we are presented with. 
    "All things are passing; God never changes"
   In order for us to find full comfort in these words we must first have some understanding of our Lord as unchanging. We must acquire some sense of who God truly is and where our greatest source of stability can be found. As we come to reflect on Scripture, the lives of the Saints, and even our own lives we can recognize the truth of this statement. We may come to find that as we spent time questioning God, wondering where He was, longing for His comfort, that He was ultimately right there with us. Arguably in the midst of our difficulties we may often lose sight of His presence and give into our anxious feelings. St. Teresa of Avila reminds us of our need to constantly stay focused on our Lord through every circumstance.
     If God never changes, and we understand Him to be constant and all loving, then we must not be troubled or frightened. It is through faith that we are able to be patient through the storms of life and through the things that may burden our hearts. Let us come to recognize that we are fulfilled by God alone and that with Him present in our lives we lack nothing. May we see His unchanging love as a comfort to us in everything. Amen (C.C.)

"Pray, Hope, and Don't Worry"- Padre Pio