From the Desire of Being Approved

As I sat in adoration over the weekend, in a temporary chapel that was very cozy and very peaceful, I felt as if I could’ve stayed there for hours.  Something that was put on my heart over and over in that time was, “it is in this place where you will never experience rejection, persecution, ridicule, or misunderstanding.  But, you cannot stay in these spaces forever.  You must go out into the world, taking the graces from these times as strength and encouragement for the daily journey and to those who do not have faith.”

There was a question that kept coming back to me as I sat before Jesus.  “How can I be your disciple without experiencing rejection?”  Jesus was rejected by the world because of the way He lived.  And if we are trying to live like Him, we too will be rejected by the world.  These experiences are necessary for us to unite ourselves to Christ more fully.  

How will we ever be able to experience the glory of the resurrection without the knowledge of suffering?  To be a disciple is to share in the cross and to walk where He walked, experiencing rejection and ridicule at times.  If we are truly living out our faith, the world will hate us.  We all want to stay in those places hidden from the world, that are safe and secure, the places that we are loved well and understood.  We want to remain in those environments, moments, and experiences where our faith is not questioned or mocked.  But the reality is that we must go and keep walking through the world, ready to share the love of Christ with all we meet, including those who are hostile to our faith.

If we are really living out our faith, we will experience resistance from the world around us, because our lives will not look like everyone else’s.  We will not blend in.  The life of a Christian is marked by joy, humility, generosity, patience, and more.  These fruits and virtues are what will help us when we are being challenged or questioned.  The more we fill ourselves up with prayer, time in adoration, the sacraments, retreats, and other community experiences, the easier it will be to take those experiences to our daily lives and live out our faith. 
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Sitting in adoration, I experienced the security and comfort of being in the presence of the One who knows us and understands us better than anyone else.  Spending time before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is the one place where we are loved perfectly.  May we all step out of the chapel to bring our faith to the world around us, knowing that Jesus is with us always.  And may we be delivered from the desire of being approved.