A Rough Patch at Work May Strengthen Our Spiritual Life

As mentioned last week, this week has brought special challenges, somewhat of a rough patch, at work. In the course of our discussions about the importance of building and maintaining a strong Interior Life, we recognized that: a) A strong Interior Life can help us attain a level of peace and stability that will assist us in prioritizing our spiritual life even in the face of a busy day at work; b) At times, despite our sincere efforts to build our Interior Life, we may still face times when our peace and stability give way to less desirable emotions like anxiety, worry, discouragement, etc. In the face of these we need to carry on best we can, relying, of course, on God's grace.

And so, facing this week's challenges, those less desirable emotions continue to knock at the door. Will I answer that door and let them in? Or can I resist the temptation to give in to them? Time will tell.

When we face such challenges, sticking with our spiritual discipline must remain our sine qua non. And if our emotions get away from us, well, there's no need to fret. We can't always control our emotions. But we can use our will to stick with our spiritual discipline.

Regarding those sometimes unruly emotions, they may be the result of some fault or faults on our part. Maybe we've not taken our spiritual life seriously enough or put in the time that taking it seriously requires. If so, discouragement may walk and try to grab the driver's seat in our soul. But it's important that we don't let it stay, that we escort it back out the door. We turn to Our Lord, with contrite heart, and lay our weakness - or, if it's the case, our sinfulness - before Him in all humility. We beg for His mercy and His love - the love He gives so freely. We might say, as Benedictine monks have repeated for centuries when they begin their prayer:

Incline unto my aid, O God! O Lord, make haste to help me!

I pray this all the time.

But maybe it's not all our fault. Maybe we've been seriously and persistently building and maintaining our interior life, even as we diligently pursue the duties of our particular state of life. And yet we find ourselves either without peace and stability, perhaps even violently buffeted by emotions that can feel out of control. What then? Well, it could be that a merciful and loving Father wants to use those unsettling and disturbing emotions to strengthen us. 

With that in mind, perhaps these words from Bishop Jacques Benigne Bossuet (1627-1704) will provide an occasion for prayer thought and meditation on all this:
 

“It must be borne in mind that one of the greatest secrets of the spiritual life is that the Holy Spirit guides us therein, not only by lights, sweetness, consolations, and attractions, but also by obscurities, darkness, insensibility, contradictions, anguish, revolts of the passions, and inclinations. I say, moreover, that this crucified way is necessary; that it is good; that is the surest, and that it leads us much more rapidly to perfection. An enlightened soul dearly appreciates the guidance of God, which permits her to be tried by creatures and overwhelmed with temptations and neglect; and she fully understands that these things are favors rather than misfortunes, preferring to die on the cross of Calvary rather than live in sweetness on Thabor. Experience will teach her in time the truth of these beautiful words, ‘And night shall be my light in pleasures, and my night knoweth no darkness, but all things shine with light.’ The soul, after her purification in the purgatory of suffering through which she must necessarily pass, will enjoy light, rest, and joy through intimate union with God, Who will make this world, exile as it is, a paradise for her. The best prayer is that in which we most freely abandon ourselves to the sentiments and dispositions which God gives the soul, and in which we study with most simplicity, humility, and fidelity to conform ourselves to His will and to the example of Jesus Christ.”

The key here: "Experience will teach her (the soul) in time the truth of these beautiful words."

None of us, I suspect, has a natural inclination to embrace difficulties and suffering, to thank God for these when they come our way. But it seems that this will be essential, even critical, to our efforts to build our interior life.

At work, we can't avoid those special challenges that test our mettle. Same holds for our spiritual life. A great spiritual writer like Bishop Bossuet can provide the insight and the inspiration we may need to persist in meeting such challenges. 

Frankly, I find solid, lucid Catholic spiritual writing so much more helpful in my struggle to be a better worker, as well as a better man. The sort of inspirational business books I once read can't hold a candle to good spiritual writing. That's why I turn to people like Bishop Bossuet rather than - well, you know the names of those who hold themselves out as "gurus" to help us in becoming a "success" in our work and our careers.

Good spiritual reading provides the insight and inspiration to help me understand clearly how my rough patch at work can - and will - strengthen my spiritual life.