(Reposted to restore missing link from other published posts.)

Sometimes, the level of affliction we undergo is a Grace. It teaches us to let go of self and become totally, wholly dependent on God.

Perfect acceptance of all things. Always.

It is the key to the attainment of perfect inner peace. If we lean on God, we do not need to shoulder our cross alone. Christ already did that for us.

Instead, our total and complete abandonment to God’s Will in all things means He reaches down to us. He helps us at that moment to carry our cross with us. The cross He gives us to carry.

We share our sufferings with His. We participate in the Passion Christ endured.

In doing so, we not only know that He is complete control of our lives, but we can rest knowing that what we are experiencing at that moment is for our ultimate good. Just as a parent will punish a child who persists in touching a hot stove. The child doesn’t like the punishment, but the alternative is worse than the penalization.

We can rest in Him as our heavenly parent. And trust Him completely that God knows what He is doing.

But we also can rest in Him, trusting fully that He know well enough how much each of us can bear. We will experience the trial long enough to finally release our grip on whatever is holding us back from completely giving Him our entire self. Our dreams, our desires, our possessions, all of it.

Suffering is an evil. It is the absence of a present good.

But, in the end, that evil will always produce a harvest of Good. If we let go and let God be in control of our lives.