HAVE YOU STALLED

                                             HAVE YOU STALLED?

Is this what we look like when we stall, when we freak-out, when we fail or are faced with a baffling challenge? Probably yes, because we freeze, then shutter and  stall, questioning ourselves. Everyone stalls now and then, even children as they mature.

Check the mirror that doesn't lie. Are we what we expect of ourselves?  We either approve or notice flaws, just don't misinterpreted your image with self-criticism. Stay positive with an expectant heart. We can always be better; we accept what we can't change, we work to recover and strive to follow the Will of God who is in charge.  He never stalls.  

Do our assignments and routines develop during our youth? Completely! The important question is how much good do we keep or add during and after maturity? The bad comes so easy. Good is difficult to keep in focus, while whatever is neutral dulls the character.. "Good and evil both increase at compound interest. That is why the little decisions you and I make every day are of such infinite importance" (Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis).

How do we prepare for our future with all its expectations? By paying attention to what enters the body, mind and spirit, and our reactions, especially what Yahweh asked of His People early in the time. See Genesis 17: 7 and Jeremiah 7: 23, "But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the ways that I command you, that it may be well with you.’" If God invites us to be His People, He will provide ways to survive.  

Discern, then seek and find, then accept, then go forth!  Avoid stalling during any one of these assignments. Each person has the responsibility of knowing the LORD God, studying His Word, being holy by living according to the Ten Commandments and the Eight Beatitudes, knowing about sin and the evil-one, knowing thyself and especially having a personal relationship with  Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life. (John 14: 6) This is not news.

"And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" (Deut 6:5). Parents cannot do it all in the so-few years that they have to raise their children, who grow up to become independent and responsible. The ideal plan is to teach children to be soldiers of Christ, to discern between good and evil, make good decisions, and to be holy like God is holy (Hebrew 12: 14), to know, love and serve Him, then live with Him in Eternity. This isn't new; there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1: 9).

We teach and remind one another how the loud voice of the world is empty and constant. We need  to be astute, and daily refreshed with the graces given at Baptism. The Holy Spirit provides wisdom, understanding and knowledge, discernment and courage, faith and fear of the Lord. Sounds overwhelming, but all Gifts of the Spirit of God ensure a safe and secure life.

We have heard all these mentions many times but even teachings can become routine in our hearing, even when dealing with weakness, ignorance and oversights. Who has all the answers without first enduring struggles, temptations, failures, and continuously longing for peace and joy! C.S. Lewis says in Christian Reflections, "Many preferences which seem to the ignorant to be simply "matter of taste" are visible to the trained critic as choices between good and evil, or truth and error."  Who has time to stall if keeping a hold on good and avoiding evil is constant?

Stay strong and discern always in order to expose and avoid disorder, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath and sloth, pride, lies, the errors in education and the media, in some church leadership and government. Expose the devil and he will flee from you (James 4: 7). Uphold whatever is “good and deserves praise: things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely and honorable ” (Philippians 4:8). Know it, speak it, do it!

If a holy person no longer has a voice, then we are in trouble. Let us, as the People of God, not stall. Get up!  Go forth to proclaim All-Good; make room for the LORD to lead you!