Shaping New Life Through Suffering

“If God causes you to suffer much, it is a sign that He has great designs for
you…” (St. Ignatius of Loyola).

Reflecting on this line, I find it difficult to accept. There is a deeper meaning to those
moments of suffering, but I often get caught up in the pain and discomfort of the
present. The image of fierce waves crashing against the coast resonates with me. As
the waves crash, they reshape the coast through erosion, using debris to form
beaches. I see my ego as something that needs erosion, with the Spirit’s waves
using the fragments of my ego to reshape my attitudes and outlook. 

Like Mary and John, I stand in silence at the foot of the cross, my mind fixed on the
image of fierce waves crashing against the rugged coastline. I envision the waves
crashing relentlessly, sometimes meeting resistance, breaking up debris and rocks
that tumble mercilessly into the water, yet eventually settling to form new beaches. I
see fragments of my ego breaking away, swept up in the vast currents, and washing
up on the shore. I feel the pain of the coastal rocks, their bruises and aches. I sense
the agony of suffering. Yet, the hope of new life. 

My mother’s current illness, hospitalisation, and suffering, as well as my desire to be
with her in Jamaica, feel like the current wave of life to me. I see it as a wave of
disruption, and I sense resistance to it. It’s the longing for order, smoothness, and
predictability that creates the hesitant, resistant rocks. I pray for the strength to
surrender to God’s guidance, to move out of comfort and into discomfort, and to see
how God is using this moment of suffering to shape me. 

Prayer:

“Lord, each day I encounter numerous waves of suffering. My instinct is to resist or
escape these waves that bring discomfort and pain. I occasionally attempt to use
unhealthy habits to shield myself from their consequences. Yet, you continually
remind me that there is no growth where there is no pain. Please assist me in finding
you, the Holy Spirit, amidst the roaring waves crashing against my soul. Please help
me not to try to escape, but to be receptive to it, as it can reshape my life by eroding
and disciplining my ego. Grant me the strength to recognise you in my every
experience of suffering.”