When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the LORD your God and obey his voice.
C.S. Lewis said, “Virtue, even attempted virtue, brings light. Indulgence brings fog.” For clearing away fog, pain is sometimes necessary. As Samuel Johnson once observed, “Nothing so wonderfully concentrates the mind as the prospect of a hanging.” If you are suffering for your sins, thank God for the wake up call and turn back to him. Don’t take it as a sign you’ve been rejected but rather take it for what it is: a call to return to his open arms. His love is everlasting.
Mark P. Shea is a popular Catholic writer and speaker. The author of numerous books, his most recent work is The Work of Mercy (Servant) and The Heart of Catholic Prayer (Our Sunday Visitor). Mark contributes numerous articles to many magazines, including his popular column “Connecting the Dots” for the National Catholic Register. Mark is known nationally for his one minute “Words of Encouragement” on Catholic radio. He also maintains the Catholic and Enjoying It blog and regularly blogs for National Catholic Register. He lives in Washington state with his wife, Janet, and their four sons.
