I couldn’t pinpoint exactly when my life had changed so much. It was a series of seemingly simple, ordinary situations that piled up over the years across different areas of my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a child, I don’t recall having any “big thing\u201d I wanted to achieve when I grew up, so I didn’t have a clear, personal benchmark for success or failure. What I *did* have was a deeply hidden sense of unease. And from that hidden place, a question would arise:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Something isn’t right\u2014what is it that\u2019s troubling me?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That internal dialogue would surface during those rare moments of inner quiet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What about you? How is your life today? Do you make space to listen to what lies in the depths of your heart?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To avoid those unsettling feelings, I used to try to look for the bright side of the situation. That helped for a while, until I could no longer find a place to feel grounded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Later on, I began receiving spiritual direction, followed by therapy. These practices helped me immensely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And you, have you identified what helps *you*?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scripture, specifically the Letter to the Romans, tells us that everything works together for good for those who love God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have processed this passage in different ways at different stages of my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do *you* receive it today?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For me, in moments of unease, I don’t always “believe” it quite as strongly. However, when I have consistent accompaniment, my doubts don’t necessarily vanish, but they don’t feel as heavy; they become more bearable. It is from those moments that I\u2019ve been able to start shifting my perspective when I face deep-seated concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My feelings and concerns, like yours, aren’t bad; they are information from the depths of our being. They might even be God inviting us to pay attention to something we haven’t properly acknowledged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How do you handle your concerns? Do you ignore them, or do you welcome them? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If the Spirit leads you, share your concerns with Jesus the Carpenter; perhaps, in sharing them and knowing you are being heard, you will discover that *everything* works together for your good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marisol<\/p>\n\n\n\n
P.S.: We can reflect on the message of the Letter to the Romans found in the readings for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A.<\/p>\n\n\n\n