Sep 28 Mon
Do I need strength of character to grow in my interior life?
We need to strengthen our character by combining serene courage with flexible and intelligent daring.
Our Lord uses difficulties and temptations to strengthen our character as we fight against discouragement and bravely struggle on, relying on God's strength.
God has given us intelligence to overcome ignorance, make correct judgments, and stand as a shield and light, ever steadfast amid life's trials and tribulations. Only in this way will our love for God and souls be effective and not get lost in useless dreams and fantasies.
We need strength of character to correct ourselves as often as necessary and to take the risk that every step forward entails. “To walk forward, we need to have one foot in the air. We can't get anywhere with both feet planted on the ground. In every human venture there's always the chance of failure, but if you refuse to lift either foot, you'll never get anywhere."
By responding to grace, we will be increasingly better instruments in God's hands. We will never allow our laziness or indecision to slow down the apostolate or obstruct the will of God.
Interior struggle leads to a mature personality.
We need an orderly, rich personality to serve God effectively. This entails a whole range of virtues, guided by prudence and sustained by love, while we strive to overcome shortcomings in our own temperament.
Jesus Christ is the mirror in which we should see ourselves. The true Christian thinks, judges, and acts consistently in accord with right reason illumined by the example and teaching of Christ. True character is not consistency and determination in one’s conduct based on subjective principles, but only constancy in following God-given principles of justice.
“God needs strong and courageous people who refuse to come to terms with mediocrity and who enter all kinds of environments with a sure step." Such maturity requires constant struggle and training. We have to strive to be strong foundation stones that sustain the building's weight, but these require a very specific shape, given blow after blow by the chisel. God can raise children of Abraham from stones. But we must make sure that the stone is not brittle; a hard rock may be shapeless, but it is a better element to build from.
God needs us to be persistent in our daily struggle, perhaps on a particular point of fortitude, or generosity, or temperance. “Soft people complain about a thousand silly trivialities; they do not know how to sacrifice themselves for Jesus in those daily trifles - let alone sacrifice themselves for others."
What a shame if you easily become hard and demanding toward other people, but do not show the same attitude in your daily life.
By taking care of little things, we will grow in strength of character and become obedient to divine grace, ready to do God’s will. “If you wish..., you will spread the word of God, which is blessed a thousand, thousand times and cannot fail. If you are generous..., if you respond, with your own sanctification, you will obtain that of others: the kingdom of Christ: ‘All with Peter to Jesus through Mary’."