Life is difficult

But life is good.

There will always be trials, failures, rejections, sickness, and death.

Every one of us has his or her own problems. In our hidden or private lives, behind the smiles that others see, each of us has a cross that we carry. Each of us has a burden that we bear that others cannot see.

Life is difficult.

But life is good.

In times of trials, there is perseverance. There is endurance that hones our character.

In times of failure, there are lessons to be learned.

In times of rejection, there is redirection to something even better.

In times of sickness, death, and suffering, there is redemption. There is a participation in the sufferings of Jesus. There is healing not just for the body, but for the heart and soul. There is unity. There is hope. There is resurrection.

In times of war, there are selfless, courageous, and inspiring acts of heroism. We also learn how resilient the human spirit is.

In times of immense hatred, there is even greater love. As Saint John Paul the Great wrote:

Where the greater the anger, the higher the explosion of love.

In times of darkness, the brightness of God’s light shines even more. And sometimes, the darkness is what we need to finally notice God’s light that is always with us… and in us.

Life is difficult. You can grieve. You can despair for a moment. But, you can rise up and find the good amidst the difficulties of life. You can also find God.

Life is good.