Hard Things

I have tried out the Chosen series, which although unconventional has some wonderful messages. It definitely thinks outside the box. One part of the new season that I was particularly struck by was the introduction of the character of Judas. Our Lord poses the question to him, "are you ready to do hard things?"

I believe that is a question we have to ask ourselves too. What are we willing to give? Are we always going to be counting the cost? How far are we willing to go?

It's not going to be easy. We will often hit roadblocks, bumps, and darkness, but if we stay the course, we have to believe He is on the other side of the fog. Sometimes we think that those moments of heroics come in the larger decisions of life, or the defining times like a climax of a book. Yet it is all the pages leading up to that. 

We are taking steps in the way of the Cross every time we choose to get up in the morning and begin another day for Him, accepting whatever He sends. It is a daily, daily choice to find Him. It's really easy to let the days slide into weeks slide into months where we stop seeking Him. We layer on excuses like an onion. "There is no time." "When life gets calmer, I will..." "People who don't have my responsibilities can pray..." If we wait until life isn't hard, we will never find that peace and joy.

With the start of the Septuagesima season today, let's really ask ourselves, "are we ready to do hard things?" Following Him costs something...it costs the widow's two mites...let us cast in all we have. I heard once that there are two roads that lead to a mountain. One is smooth, the other rocky. When both parties get to the end of the road and face the mountain, the one who took the smooth path cannot scale it, but the one who took the rocky road was prepared.

Blessings in disguise.