In just four months, my nephew will be three years old. This had me thinking about my journey a bit and the time I have spent trying to discern the Lord's will; it has been 40 months since I started my discernment, 32 months since I started looking at communities, 25 months since I found out about the SMMCs, 17 months since I first visited them, 14 months since I started the application process and 6 months since I received my letter of acceptance from Mother. I guess you want to know the point of all of this rambling about how long I have been discerning.
I am sure you guys have read about my struggles and doubts when it comes to trusting God and letting him take control of my vocation. It comes from nothing but frustration and unfortunately this frustration has led me to be careless and not care to guard my heart or my vocation. Lately I have been putting my prayers on the back burner not because of lack of time but because of a lack of motivation.
Today's gospel reading about the canaanite woman and the subsequent Homily by Father moved me to tears as I was reminded that I am not willing to wait, I'm not willing to persevere for my vocation. Here is this woman who clearly was ignored after her first request and yet she persisted! She trusted in the Lord. Even when the Apostles wanted her gone, she kept her gaze on one thing....Christ. And she trusted that he would answer. The ironic thing is that I've asked and begged to suffer with my Lord because I wanted to feel as close to what he felt as I could. Now however, I can't seem to do it; I've read stories of saints who were tested by Novice Mistresses, superiors and even Spiritual Directors to help "weed out" the weak so to speak. I always thought that I would happily bear these things because I am grateful the Lord has called me. Unfortunately I am letting my frustration about having to wait affect my relationship with the Lord.
The truth is there are plenty of benefits to waiting and I know darn well that there are. First - a selfish and very silly benefit (I get to see my little sister graduate from Dental Hygiene school) second - I might get to see my brother get married (let us hope) third - I get to grow closer to Lord, to the Blessed Mother and I get to mature emotionally and spiritually fourth - I get to truly live out my yes and get to see constant reminders that the Lord sought out my heart and my yes. He pursued me and he courted me I mean what more could a girl want? I mean the list goes on and on and on; I could list a lot of things that I find to be benefits of waiting. However, the sad fact is... as someone who has bought into the "I want it now" way of things and want to live out my yes today. It could also be that August 22nd is fast approaching and that was to be my entrance date.
As much as I have "suffered" through having to wait yet another year before I could begin formation, I must say that I am truly growing to appreciate the fact that I am called more and more. I cannot wait until the day I can enter and know that I am living all of my days with complete abandon. However, I must be honest and admit that I do find it hard to read news of young postulants becoming novices and novices taking first vows without felling a twinge of despair.
I went to confession today because of these very issues and all of a sudden the light bulb came on. I realized that I've been acting like a frustrated girlfriend. I have been mad at having to wait and have tried to take things into my own hands. This has resulted in me doing nothing but hurting myself, using others and in turn hurting them in order to deal with my frustrations. I know there are even more great things to come from waiting, from this time of preparation but yet I am unwilling to wait, to trust and to love. Mind you this unwillingness does not come from the fact that I not want things to happen in God's time but it is because I am scared, scared that this life that the Lord is calling me to right now might not be the life he is calling me to for the rest of my life.
Just as a bride must wait for her bridegroom so I must
wait for the time I am to be received by my bridegroom and I must trust in his love for me, in his ability to provide for me and most of all in his commitment to me. At times I feel like a young woman who accepted a proposal of marriage in a moment of bliss, of pure love; only to be faced with the reality of what it takes to make a relationship, a marriage work. At that hint of reality, I find that I am questioning the one person whom I trusted above all things, the one person that I promised myself to - My intended. I pray that I go to that moment of bliss, that moment when I screamed yes with all of my heart every day, so that I may remember that this relationship, despite my uncertainty, my fears and my frustration is built to last.
wait for the time I am to be received by my bridegroom and I must trust in his love for me, in his ability to provide for me and most of all in his commitment to me. At times I feel like a young woman who accepted a proposal of marriage in a moment of bliss, of pure love; only to be faced with the reality of what it takes to make a relationship, a marriage work. At that hint of reality, I find that I am questioning the one person whom I trusted above all things, the one person that I promised myself to - My intended. I pray that I go to that moment of bliss, that moment when I screamed yes with all of my heart every day, so that I may remember that this relationship, despite my uncertainty, my fears and my frustration is built to last.
Prayers please for myself and for all of discerning young women who might find themselves having similar feelings.
In Christ our love,
Hopeful
This is beautiful. I am praying for you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the prayers Emily. They are Definitely needed.
ReplyDeleteI have several friends that are feeling exactly the same way, and I can certainly relate as well. I will pray and ask them to pray for you, too!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Sorry I'm a little behind on reading your posts! I've been very busy, too, but I do still pray for you! - Charity
ReplyDeleteCharity,
ReplyDeleteThank you for the prayers. They are truly appreciated and have been a source of strength. Prayers for you too!