January 14
Facing Up to Difficulty
Seize the Day with DietrichBonhoeffer
Charles Ringma
Pinon Press

"There are two ways of dealing with adversity.  One way, the easier, is to ignore it altogether.  I have got about as far as that. The other and more difficult way is to face up to it and triumph over it.  I can't manage that yet, but I must learn to do it" Letters and Papers from Prison

Difficulty is always peculiarly our own. another person looking on will probably fail to appreciate the extend of the pressure that such adversity brings us. But we can't carry the difficulty on our own. Being alone in it will only intensify it.  But  others can't rescue us   either. We need to face it ourselves, seek God's intervention and support, and open it to others so that they might encourage us to see it through to the end.

Meditation
Difficulty is not outside of God's design for our lives,
but God is never outside the difficulty unless we put Him there.

Reflection
The more we accept our human condition
the more likely we are to fulfill the design of God for our lives.crsr