The Choice that Makes All the
Difference A t times, we come to know our weaknesses, our failures, our sins, and the ways we have betrayed ourselves and hurt others. This knowledge is absolutely critical if we are to improve ourselves. Nonetheless, it is painful to acknowledge this truth. We may feel shame, guilt, embarrassment, and horror. By: Katherine O' Brien
No pain, no gain.
How we face this pain makes all the difference. Do we listen to the whisperings that flood our minds? They tell us that, not only have we failed in some way, we actually are a failure. They nudge us towards despair, trying to make us believe that there is no hope, we are doomed because of what we did, or failed to do in the past.
Christ, the Hope of the world, is full of light and love, judgment and mercy.
It’s up to us. Will we choose hope? Or despair?
It is in those very moments of self-awareness that we have the best opportunities to grow, to heal, to become a better version of ourselves. To shift ourselves out of our comfort zone, to do the hard work necessary to heal, to choose to behave differently and to look at situations differently. In these moments of reflection on past situations we did not handle very well, we can brainstorm different ways to look at such situations, different options for handling them. We can enlist the aid of a trusted friend or two or therapist or priest or minister or other person who can share insights with us and give us counsel. Their perspective will help us see things differently and identify different ways to handle and approach similar situations in the future. Take time to reflect. Take time to consider your strengths and your weaknesses. Explore possibilities to leverage your strengths in order to fill in the gaps left by your weaknesses. Keep in mind that our weaknesses and our strengths tend to be related; they are, in fact, often the flip side of one another.
50 | Hope Is Now Magazine
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