Sometimes We Can't Help It: What To Do Then

Were you able to take advantage of some of that extra time you had at work - the result of the typical summer slowdown that intensifies right before Labor Day? Even with the C-Virus Mess that began last year, and appears to be returning now with new restrictions and lock-downs, these days of late summer have brought their usual respite from relentless tasks and deadlines - at least that's been true for our business.

With that in mind, let's continue what we began last time: some comments on those specific parts of our spiritual passages that somehow grabbed us. If you remember, we suggested you allow the grabbing to hold you in place for a few minutes. Take some time to let the specific point or message you ascertained sink in. As you hold in place, re-read the relevant sentence or sentences - and do so slowly.

In fact, if you remember, the ideal way to read good spiritual works is to do so slowly from the get go - not just when something particularly grabs your attention. Read slowly and allow the words to penetrate the mind, the heart, and the soul. If you do this, you may very well feel that penetration in some way. And when you do, that's when you pause. You maybe re-read. You definitely think about/meditate on those words.

Here are two short sections from one of the recent spiritual passages we offered. We begin with...

When preoccupation assails you, in spite of yourself, repeat calmly an act of love and confidence, disavow these thoughts and fears.

Recall that we all have moments when things go wrong and anxiety gets the best of us. In such moments, it's easy - and natural - to become preoccupied with ourselves. Put simply, sometimes we can't help it. Our author (Fr. Schryvers) just offered the antidote. 

Personally, I've tried this. It works.

Now, it works because something (like this passage) has reminded me to make that act of love and confidence to Our Lord. The challenge, though, is to make this a habit. The habit doesn't come easily to me. I've made some progress to be sure. But there's more work to do. I'm game. It's well worth the effort.

Our author, in his typical thorough and sensitive manner, offers this:

...if you pass the whole time of a meditation saying, ‘Jesus! I do not want to be anxious; I am yours,’ you will have made an excellent prayer, even though your mind remains still possessed by these phantoms. 

Notice that even if we succeed in our act of love and confidence, we ought not be surprised or disappointed if our minds still hold on to whatever caused the anxiety to begin with. The cause may have come for the outside world, or it may be a "phantom" created in our own minds. Either way, it's "real" and may not disappear in the instant you turn with determined thought and feeling to Our Lord. The point here is there's nothing wrong with that. 

Its natural for anxiety to keep its hooks in us. But developing the habit of turning to Our Lord with acts of love and confidence changes the game. Now He's beside us. We no longer face our difficulties alone. If we know of His love for us - and we do, right? - we have confidence that He will hold us close and steady us.

From experience, I can tell you that this makes all the difference at work. My tasks and the deadlines that accompany them don't care about my troubles or anxieties. If I become preoccupied with what's bothering me, the successful and timely performance of my daily work can suffer. Oh, and would it surprise you that customers and clients really won't accept your sloppiness or tardiness with the excuse that you were anxious or rattled by some mishap?

I hope you found this specific meditation helpful. If so, you may want to circle back to our recent posted spiritual passages and revisit those parts that held special meaning for you.