God Doesn't Keep Score

Baseball is a game of hope; it’s a game of second chances. Each batter takes a turn at the plate and, no matter if he gets a hit or not, he’s given another chance  – and another and another – when his turn comes up again in subsequent innings. 

God gives us more chances, too. Infinitely more chances. When we choose to do or say something that is unloving and hurtful, something that pulls us away from Him or from each other – when we sin  – He allows us to come back to Him and be forgiven again, and again, and again. 

Our God is Love and Mercy. We may have a hard time believing that God loves us and will forgive us, especially if our parents were hard on us or if they weren’t capable of loving us the way we needed to be loved. But He does, and He will. Always.

Take comfort in the fact that God doesn’t keep score. He doesn’t keep track of the times you’ve failed or the errors you’ve made. He knows you mean well. He sees your efforts to love the people around you in the best ways you know how. He knows your weaknesses and still He loves you and offers you His forgiveness time and time again. He wants to free you from the weight of your sins; He wants you to know the joy that comes with that freedom. 

Think of the relief you felt as a child when you finally told the truth about something you had been feeling guilty about. There may have been consequences for your actions and still, above all else, you felt relieved at having gotten it off your chest. You were forgiven; you could put it behind you, finally. Christ offers us this same kind of relief on a much deeper level in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, where we unload our burdens of guilt to Jesus hidden in the priest. We ask our Lord to forgive us for those times when what we chose to say or do hurt someone else or pulled us away from the Love of God. We express our remorse. Then Christ Himself wipes our slate clean, sets us free from our guilt, and lets us try again. Our hearts feel light, our confidence is restored, our joy is deep!

No matter how often you fall, Christ will forgive your sins every time you ask Him to. He will forgive them and forget them. He’ll give you another chance. And another. And another.

“...You gave Your children good ground for hope that You would permit repentance for their sins.”  – Wisdom 12:19

“Lord, thank You for inviting us back to You over and over again.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

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p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

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Gratitude Lightens Our Burdens

They say that if we tossed our troubles onto a pile with our neighbors’ problems and then had the opportunity to take whatever we wanted, we would all choose to take back our own struggles over those of our neighbors. Maybe that’s because, while our challenges are burdensome, they are also familiar to us. 

Our sufferings are real, and life seems full of them. Our current problem may be so oppressive that it’s like a hand being held right in front of our eyes, blocking our view of everything else. If we mentally step aside for a moment, though, and move away from that blocked view, we would see that, even with this burden, we still can find much to be grateful for. This gratitude helps us handle our challenges. 

We can be grateful for our magnificent bodies, with the intricate workings of cells, organs, and systems that function without any effort from us! Even when we’re faced with illness or injury, while we’re taking steps to help our body heal or adapt we can still gratefully think, feel, do, and live! 

You are not a mere product of science or chance! Everything about you was deliberately created by God. You have skills and talents. You may not think yours are anything special, but your gifts are not exactly the same as anyone else’s, and your unique personality shapes how you use them. 

Look outside yourself and consider with gratitude your family, friends, and acquaintances. They are gifts for you, and you are gifts for them! Think of all the happy memories you’ve created together, challenges you’ve conquered together, things you’ve learned from each other, and how you’ve made life sweeter for each other just by being yourselves. 

Look with gratitude at your home, your clothes, and your possessions. Look with awe at the natural world around you. From the food that grows to the stars that capture our imagination, God created all of it for us to enjoy, marvel at, and learn from. 

Finally, consider God’s intangible gifts like laughter that eased your pain; strength that got you through a tough challenge; and answers to your prayers, even when you didn’t get the answer you’d hoped for. You’re grateful for all of it because you know that God does everything out of His love for you. Your gratitude reassures you that He will help you with your current challenge, too.

How do we show our appreciation for all God has done for us?  We take care of our bodies the best we can. We care for each other and cherish our time together. We share our time, talents, and possessions. We use the blessings of nature responsibly. 

We consider the wonders of all His gifts and pray from the heart: ‘‘Thanks.” 

“How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good He has done for me?” 

– Psalm 116:12

“Lord, open my eyes to fully appreciate all that You’ve done for me.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

Go Deeper Than the Storm

 

Winds howling. Mountainous waves tossing yachts like toys. Rain flying sideways. We’ve seen it in movies, and some of us have experienced it first-hand. Storms on the water can be brutal.

Far below the storm, though, far below the surface of the water, there’s calm. The fish and other creatures lurking at the bottom may not even notice there’s turbulence up above.

We have storms in life, too: A terrifying diagnosis, an accident, or serious illness. Financial difficulties. Family and work troubles. We’ve all had our share of suffering. These challenges may come upon us like the storms on Lake Erie: intense and without warning. We’re blindsided, and that shock adds to our anxiety.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” 

– Matthew 11:28

Imagine Christ saying to you, “Go deeper than the storm. Go where there is peace. Rest there, and let yourself be enveloped in peace. You can’t stop the storm but you don’t have to stay in it, either. Let the storm rage, but don’t let it toss you or break you. Surround yourself with My peace and know that, even if you can’t control the storm, you can control whether you stay there and fight it or take shelter in the depths of My love, where you will find peace and calm.” 

What does it look like to ‘take shelter in the depths of His love’? First, sit still. Breathe deeply, and slow your racing mind. Thank God for creating you out of His love. Thank Him for all He has already provided for you. Remind yourself that He is omnipotent; ask Him to help you carry this heavy cross. Trust that He, because of His immense love for you, will answer your prayers in the way that provides you with your greatest good. Ask Him to fill you with His peace. Let go of the tension in your mind and body.

Then, ask Him to show you the next step to take. While you’re sitting still and also as you go about your day, pay attention to the ideas that come to mind. Do you need to consult your medical provider? What changes can you make to lessen your financial strain? What professional resources are available to you? Do you have loving friends who support you, who would be happy to help if you asked them to? 

You don’t have to carry the burdens by yourself. Let Christ lead you toward those people who have been blessed with specific skill sets to assist you. 

Storms are part of life. Take shelter in the depths of His love and trust Him to guide you through the turmoil.

“Say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in Whom I trust.” – Psalm 91:2

“Hold me close, Lord, and show me the way through this storm.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...

Rewards Now, Rewards Later

Imagine telling a first-grader, “Listen to your teachers and do your homework, and when you grow up you’ll be able to get a good job.” 

Of course we don’t say that. Being a grown-up is so far away; getting a good job can’t be the child’s primary goal. He has to experience the joy of learning and the satisfaction of reaching smaller goals first. So throughout his school years, we let him experience those with each little accomplishment. Only after many years of schooling can he be guided toward using his God-given talents for a particular field of work. 

In last week’s reflection I cited Matthew 7:13-14: “...How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life…” I pointed out that Christ promises that following His Way is the way to eternal life. A couple of people asked: Is our primary goal getting to heaven? Don’t we get rewarded here, too? Isn’t there value in imitating Christ simply because doing so makes our life and our world better?

Yes, we do get rewarded now. God designed us to get a good feeling when we show love to others, whether it’s by giving a special gift, sharing our time, offering a random act of kindness or kind word, or doing any other kind deed. These actions also strengthen our relationships and make our world better. Like the student who experiences rewards for working hard, so do we experience rewards for imitating Christ throughout our life. 

We’ll get rewarded later, too. We look ahead to Christ’s promise of unending joy with Him in eternal life. Most of us are familiar with this verse:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

Most of us consider eternal life as life with God in heaven. We know that God is love, so maybe heaven is less of a location and more of a state of being. When we love others through our words and actions, we’re showing God to them. We’re bringing heaven to them. We’re bringing heaven to earth. Christ offers us life after we pass away, and also makes it possible that our life here on earth could be full of His love, His peace, and His joy: 

“I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.” – John 10:10

So, yes, our rewards come both now and later. Think of it this way: Loving in this life is kind of like practice for eternity. Our thoughts, words, and actions become who we are. When we’re absorbed in loving others, when our thoughts, words, and actions are rooted in Love, then we experience heaven here and now. We then take who we are with us and continue to be absorbed by Love for eternity.

“Lord, let me grasp every opportunity to bring heaven to earth.”

Thank you for reading my reflection. © 2023 Gina Bedell     Comments are always welcome! 

Please share this with your friends by clicking on one of the icons below. Blogspot doesn’t have a ‘subscribe’ feature and so I appreciate your help in sharing my reflections. Thanks!

If you or someone you know would like to receive these writings directly to your inbox, please email me at ginabedell1@gmail.com and I will add you to my ‘BCC’ email list.

p.s.

We continue to pray for an end to the war. If you’d like to help the people of Ukraine through the Cleveland Maidan Association, you may use either PayPal or a credit/debit card here:

https://www.paypal.com/donate/...