“Nothing except sin can take us away from God. All the contradictions and persecution from men and demons cannot take an inch from the Highest Good. If we are faithful, these trials help to unite us more closely with His Divine Majesty. I would wish that you do not let your heart be moved an inch, and that you would not be upset by the events taking place. God is permitting them for your great good that you may learn to deprive yourself more and more of every affection for earth and to die to all that is not God.” – St. Paul of the Cross, Letter 208
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.’ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
-Romans 8:35-39
Oh! If we only understood this principle that hardships and trials are all for our benefit in Christ! If we could settle this principle deep within our soul, then nothing could cause us to waver. Our love for God and His love for us would only deepen with every wave of distress, for He is for us. His desire is toward us in pure love, and eternal joy is a sure thing in our future, even in this life. Once this truth is firmly planted deep within the heart, we can be courageous in our prayer and outward expression of love toward God and others. Simply nothing can separate us from Him except sin!
How then shall we live? Let us be sober-minded, leaning on our Beloved, who gives us daily strength and power to overcome every sin. St. Paul of the Cross assures us that, “If we are faithful, these trials help to unite us more closely with His Divine Majesty”. He goes on to give an exhortation to not let circumstances dictate our countenance. How can we bring our emotions into submission to the truth of His Word and not become distraught in trials? We must look up and see where our help comes from, taking our eyes off the circumstances and firmly placing them on Jesus and His unending love toward us. This fixed gaze on Him will grant us the ability to remain in Him in the place of peace, and even have joy in the midst of difficulties. Trusting in His goodness towards us even in every set back will help us to “…not let our heart be moved an inch”. The Apostle Paul came to know this truth through suffering severe trials so that he came to know that in all circumstances, it is possible to overcome and become “more than conquerors”.
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, let me trust you with unwavering confidence in every trial. You are using every situation for my good. Let me adore your divine will in everything so that You may fully have your way in me and bring me into complete union with You. In Jesus name, Amen.
For Meditation:
How can you apply St. Paul of the Cross’s statement about how all contradictions and persecutions from men and demons cannot take one inch away from you and God, but in fact, can actually be used to do the opposite—that is, draw you nearer to Him?
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This post is taken from the book, Meditations on the Letters of Saint Paul of the Cross by Amy Knight, available to order here.
