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All of us, at a certain moment in our life, we realize how tired, discouraged, hopeless we are due to always experiencing the same problems that seem to have no solution. If we listen to these signs, we can see that most of the difficulties are the result of the same unfortunate choices we make, and of the same mistakes, hoping that things will change. It seems clear, therefore, that equal choices do not lead to different solutions. And it is at this moment that we realize, too, that something in us is demanding a change.
It is the beginning of awareness and the need for transformations in our inner world.
Our problem thus appears in how to do this. Walking to Jesus is certainly the right answer. But, why Jesus? Because no one as He spread so much joy, hope, and spiritual strengthening.
It is true that we experience on Earth many tears and sufferings, and this is due to the degree of evolution in which man on Earth lives, otherwise this planet would be paradise. But in spite of this, Christ never condemned the sad and the suffering; instead, He sought to bring them to Himself, comforting them and saying, "Come unto me, all ye that labor in pain and are burdened, and I will relieve you”.
After all, what comfort was that? It is the consolation that His teachings bring us to this day. He teaches us to have faith in divine goodness and righteousness, so that we may benefit from our Father’s goodness. And now, in these dark times, more than ever, His words are balms in our hearts.
However, if it is easy to hear Jesus say come to me, how difficult it is to come to Him! It is difficult because the immediate ties that bind us to earthly goods are still very strong, although we feel tired, unhappy, and empty inside, realizing that we lack something that we can not define. And when we already have some evangelical knowledge, we do not have the patience to wait for the moment of divine help; this when we can ask for such help, and pride does not stop us from doing so. In addition, we are also in a hurry to see Jesus' promise that He will relieve us, as if our troubles appeared suddenly.
We are not unaware that the best remedy for our afflictions is prayer, but as we cannot solve the problems quickly, as we would wish, we abandon ourselves to discouragement, to despair, to revolt, and we believe that we are forgotten by Divine providence. For this reason, the friendly Spirits invite us, through the most different forms, to calm down and be patient.
We cannot say that Jesus does not inspire us to take the right path. Today's life is full of communication resources and spiritual life does not depend on time or space.
Here, it is an enlightened message that comes to us through television; there it is the telephone that puts us in touch with a friend who can help us if we want; it is the written and fraternal message that comes to us, through computers, and sometimes of people we do not even know; it is the uplifting reading of a chronicle or article, in a newspaper or magazine, written by someone we admire, but never met.
Our connections with the Christ are the same. Jesus is not an absent or a dead symbol, as Emmanuel – an esteemed spiritual benefactor – reminds us. He is and will always be for us, those who declare to accept Him for the governance of our lives, the watchful mentor and the living example. He promised us, as He spoke to His disciples, "Behold, I am with you always, until the end of time".
The Noble Friend remains with outstretched arms, inviting us to submit to His sweet love. Those who believe feel this invitation from on High, but most, however, do not show firmness to seek for His company. For this reason, Jesus proposes resources to free ourselves from these shadows that surround us, such as inertia, ignorance, possessivism, and so on. He shows that it is possible to conquer balance, harmony, inner light.
And what resources are these? Jesus tells us about love and faith. From the love that, sustained by faith, becomes a channel that connects us to God - the inexhaustible source of Love - to irrigate the Spirit, to revitalize us in the face of redemptive struggles. He who believes and prays receives the spiritual forces from regions inaccessible to us, for the time being, producing permanent harmony and light in his inner world, which is reflected around him, involving everything and everyone.
This channel puts us in tune with higher minds and impregnates us with energies saturated with peace. It is of the utmost importance at this point that we should not indulge in discouragement or pessimism, no matter what the reason that led us to pray, lest we prevent this channel from being obstructed by negative feelings and thoughts.
In the face of any distressing or conflicting situation, let us reassure the life around us, as much as possible, so that the blessings of the Father may come to us, for everything is directed towards peace, harmony and fraternity. Everything else is transient, fleeting, because it is from the law of progress that all darkness is directed to light; that all ignorance will be overcome by wisdom; that all selfishness be transformed into brotherhood; and that all hatred replaced by love.
The redemptive struggle we face today, the result of unhappy and illusory choices, often from a not-so-distant past, must be seen and felt as a blessed opportunity for reparation toward Jesus. The Master is working on our behalf, but we must do our part, for it is not worth having hope in inertia, in laziness, in neglect of difficulties. He is with us every day. And are we with Him? Let us ask this question to our conscience and seek a true, transparent answer, without disguises or excuses within us.
Is the burden that Jesus proposes to us to be humbler, more charitable, more fraternal, not giving up the ideals of inner beauty, not giving space to evil, not negotiating with temptations of any kind, remaining straight conscience, is heavier than the one we carry today?
We're all on our way. Some are more ahead than others. Is it not the time to take advantage of the opportunities that are offered daily? The Lord is with us waiting for us to be with Him.
Bibliography:
XAVIER, F. C. Our Bread – dictated by the Spirit Emmanuel -17th edition - FEB Editora - Brasilia / DF - lesson 61.
XAVIER, F. C. Words of Eternal Life - dictated by the Spirit Emmanuel - 20th edition - Editora CEC - Uberlandia / MG - lessons 83 and 149.
KARDEC, Allan. The Gospel According to Spiritism - Chapter IX
Matthew 28:20. |
