Never Giving Up
One of the most important lessons I've learned from prayer is to never give up easily when facing any problem or struggle. As long as you are still capable of doing something, you must keep trying. Until you have truly and definitively failed, the fight is not over. You are not finished until you are genuinely and objectively done. Of course, this doesn't mean continuing the struggle blindly or without direction. As we persevere, we must also learn to fight more wisely — to keep strategizing, planning, and weighing the pros and cons. We surrender only when discernment and grace reveal that God wills us to let go.
I learned this through prayer because I would never presume to fully comprehend the incomprehensible mind of God. Divine Revelation provides us with sure foundations, and the teachings of the Church, along with insights from science and philosophy, help broaden our understanding and allow us to see a larger perspective of the situations we pray about. Yet none of these grant us omniscience. We can never know with complete certainty the hows and whys behind everything that happens in our lives. There will always remain ample space for faith and hope, no matter how much wisdom we gain through the years. We pray because we are humble enough to recognize this truth — and so we never cease to seek God's help in every difficulty, great or small. To neglect prayer is a grave act of pride and folly, for it denies our constant dependence on God. For there is never a single moment in our lives when we do not need God's grace. We need Him always.
Comments