The Never Ending Joyful Experience
Recently I was talking with a friend of mine whom I met through my blog. A friend of mine really liked an article of mine, and thought to introduce us to each other; he has since become one of my dearest companions in the fight for Heaven.
We spoke yesterday about how we might not have ever met if we weren't made aware of this shared experience.
He's a writer as well, and I actually came to know about him years ago when a friend texted me a link to an article he wrote about his experience with SSA.
Similarly, he came to know about me (and was soon after more formally introduced to me) after my article to Fr. James Martin, SJ began to circulate.
He and I both shared in this struggle for holiness, fighting against temptations to search for love in all of the wrong places.
And yet, we both persisted. We both kept fighting, and now, we're able to fight alongside each other.
I think it's pretty crucial to note that both of us have struggled a great deal, and I doubt either of us will stop having to struggle anytime soon, but neither of us believe that the struggle is unnecessary or cruel.
"Christianity without suffering is not Christianity at all," he said to me, which is absolutely true! One cannot hope to see the promise of Easter Sunday without first carrying their cross through Good Friday.
Pain is necessary, and shouldn't always be seen as a bad thing.
Yes, he and I, along with many of our other friends, struggle in our every day lives. So does everybody else on this planet! But the great thing about that is we can all share in our struggles and sorrows, and help each other see the joy in our pain and suffering.
My friend told me, "We're all connected by a never ending chain of a joyful experience." My heart flooded with peace and joy when he said this!
He was so right! We as the Body of Christ, the members of His Bride, the Church, are called to suffer alongside each other, and to help one another reach Heaven.
There is joy in this shared experience! There is joy in walking toward holiness and Christian perfection! This is the never ending chain of a joyful experience that we get to partake in as brothers and sisters in the faith. What a beautiful experience!
There is hope and there is joy in my experience, and I pray that I will be given the opportunity to share that with as many people as the Lord will allow me!
I pray that more people will be open to this beautiful view of suffering. There is hope, peace, and joy here.