It’s been a while since I’ve done some writing here; it’s been difficult for me to finish our series on suffering. I’m currently going through my own season of suffering of sorts. It’s nothing dramatic, just the kind of suffering that forces a woman to put down what she’s doing and tend to her family in a particular way. The kind of suffering that also calls a woman to rest in the Lord when she’s overwhelmed by the whirlwind of the season.
As my family prepares for my husband’s next deployment, I was reminded of something I was told long ago: the Enemy wants us to see ourselves as a victim. The victim mindset leaves us helpless and vulnerable to attack. When I shift my mindset to that of a warrior through Christ, I’m able to face the suffering with confidence and cultivate our family life (even while my husband is away). Some days it’s harder to live as a warrior instead of a victim, but the Lord sees my efforts and knows they are good.
At the end of the day, we can choose how we act, and this influences everything. Do we choose to face our suffering as a victim, like one of the passengers waiting to sink on the Deuschtland? Or do we choose to face it as a warrior, like the tall nun turning to Christ in the storm?
The Simon Peter of a soul!
In the final verses of his poem, Hopkins says this to describe the tall nun. It strikes me because I think of Simon Peter as someone who was flawed yet committed to Christ. That’s what every saint was. That was also the tall nun: flawed, sinning throughout her life because she is human, but committed to Christ, willing to turn to Him when it matters most.
What we do in our suffering is a daily choice, and it won’t always be perfect. Let’s work with Christ and strive to be the tall nun. Let us be warriors!
As a crowdfunding instructor for the Fiat Self-Publishing Academy, I get so excited to see amazing Kickstarter campaigns run by Catholic creators. My kids love the books published by Theotokos kids, and I’m sure the kids in your life will too. Consider supporting their newest books; your pledge can help them reach their fundraising goal to make these books a reality!
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