CUP OF GRACE

We are often disappointed in the circumstances we find ourselves in. We feel threatened and betrayed as the things unfold themselves in front of our eyes. We often feel like running away and busy ourselves in devising ways and means to extricate ourselves from the problems or situation we find ourselves in, instead of doing the most obvious thing i.e. put all our trust in lord, instead of relying on our worldly knowledge. We are afraid of holding the cup of bitter tears, bitter disappointments, defeats, diseases degradation, which at times are proffered to us. We are often inclined them to treat them as the cup of curses rather than as the cup of blessings. We are so stuck up in the present, that we are unable to see beyond our noses and we feel that we have all the knowledge and that we have arrived at the end of things beyond which nothing is possible. This is so because we never learn to trust the Lord properly. We are often ignorant of the ways and will of Lord, which makes things black and bleary to perceive. We are not ready to follow our crosses, though we cry ourselves hoarse proclaiming ourselves to be the true follower and are ever ready to shed our burden at the drop of the hat, forgetting that to be victorious we must finish the race, which has been given to us, cheerfully without complaining in any manner whatsoever.

Like so many things we are often called to bear the cross of diseases, disappointments, defeats, but we do not find ourselves ready to undertake the job, making excuses to wriggle out of it somehow. This is not confined to it only; rather it encompasses every aspect of our lives. It may be called so, as the cases of failures or disappointments we face so frequently in our lives, without waiting to persist for the blessings they contain. Only if we are perseverant, then only can we reach the Promised Land, otherwise we will have to contend with the glimpse of the holy land which will not be accessible to us simply because, we did not stay in the place where the lord wanted us to be. The diseases can be seen as blessing as they teach us not to not to be proud of our health like wealth etc. since these are transitory ephemeral and impermanent in nature. It also makes one a receptacle of patience, understanding and fills them with compassion and makes them aware of others’ sufferings and pain, and makes them more attuned and attentive towards the will of the lord as they learn to put their faith on Him when everything and everyone fails. They are able to look inward and have silent conversations with the Lord when every one stops listening to them. Then they are able to put beside all things of flesh and follow Him wherever He intends to take them since they realize that their stay at this world is just a brief stop over or sojourn in their journey to the kingdom of the Lord, which is the final destination of us all, if we are obedient and faithful to Him. We often forget that the cup of grace is filled with bitter tears and we are ready to wish it away, the moment it is offered to us, but if we accept it unflinchingly it would definitely turn into the cup of blessings which it actually is, and not the cup of curses as we tend to perceive it.

We often see our afflictions as curses, never as opportunities to be seized and made worthwhile. These divine interventions are often seen as mere interference’s meant to play havoc with our well-laid plans, as obstacles in the paths which we have carved out for ourselves so painstakingly by devoting every fibre of our being geared to fulfill the chosen goal. We never pause to wonder what lies ahead and as we are afraid of unknown, we tend to slip back in our old comfortable ways to our monotonous routine of nothingness, which begets nothingness in the end. We fail to appreciate the fact that no test is given to us beyond our strength and capabilities. In fact the Lord is always with us to take care of us but we fail to realize this and we frantically turn to the world to solve our problems seeking their opinions advice etc. to tide over the problems, never outsourcing the problems to the Lord who is easily available in our times of misfortune as the Psalmist says in praise of the lord. If we are not ready to bear the cross we are given and have failed to follow His will, then we are not trying to be trustworthy. If the Lord cannot trust us with a small cross, He has given us, how will He trust us with the greater things of His kingdom, which brings glory to Him? In fact at that moment of time we are found lacking, unwilling to follow Him, then how can He trust with the keys of his kingdom which we all are so desperately searching all our lives. Only He is the source of all and every thing. Everything is meant to bring out his glory in this world. Unless we understand this simple truth, we cannot understand His will or ways and will remain ignorant of Him despite proclaiming otherwise.

So it is best for us to take pride in our incapability’s and weaknesses as He gives riches to the poor and makes strong the weak. He only can turn our bitter tears into joyous laughter and our defeats into victories. He makes us more than victorious. To stay in His shadow, it is necessary to be obedient and willing to follow him in adversity, singing praises instead of lamenting or blaming the fate. Sometimes it seems that all these are mere means to bring us all nearer to Him as we strays and are lost in the wilderness of this world. Only then we learn to lean upon Him and trust Him when we are reduced to nothingness or when we are broken in spirit or body with no respite in sight. The world despises and never cares for those who have fallen down rather it moves ahead callously rough shoddingly, but the Lord always hold them dear and keep them close to His heart, the people with broken spirits and broken wings and gives a new song to those mute broken reeds.

Happiness.....

Happiness lulls us with the deep relaxing stupor filled with sweet dreams but pain and sorrows makes us sleepless and restless. Pain makes you angry and depressed while the happiness gets you in a more cheerful mood and lets you forgive and forget things, which have caused you deep pain and anguish in the past. But to be able to feel pain is a sign of being alive and being aware of your surroundings. Pain unfortunately keeps you glued or chained to your past, but can also be interpreted as a sign of recovery as it ensures a chance for change, recovery and survival too, since the entire mind is concentrating or engaged in the task of fighting for getting back the control over our lives. Otherwise the pain will dull our senses and weaken our resistance to fight it with tooth and nail against its dominating power.

The pain is a reminder that you are alive. The pain is the greatest catalyst. It overwhelms us no doubt, but it also brings about a subtle transformation of one’s consciousness as it increases the field of awareness to such an extent so as to include others into the direct line of observation or the observation field. The pain gives us an opportunity to connect with each other with more compassion, maturity, understanding and sensitivity. This makes us aware of the pain and anguish the other person is undergoing which is tearing him apart just like us. This knowledge is the greatest tool one can have to transform the lives of those around him and eventually everyone including his own.