To the Ends of the Earth: Character – Week 8, Day 2 - Being Frail Means We Are Not Good Enough
Sponsored
Catholic365 is sponsored by
Road to Purity
Since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 4:13–15
Some men are reluctant to come to Christ because they feel they have gone too far in their sin. They believe they have crossed a sacred line and committed the unpardonable sin — that they are no longer worthy of God’s love. In one sense, this is correct. All of us, by the sin of Adam and our own personal sins, have fallen short of the glory of God and are unworthy of his love. God, however, loves us still. He chose to make us worthy through the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross.
Our sins, our sufferings, and our sadness are part of our fallen human nature. Yet in Christ we have the power to overcome our past and experience the life God has given us. There is nothing we have done that God cannot undo, no failure he cannot turn into success for his glory. God will not allow any experience in our lives to go to waste. On the contrary, everything we undergo can help shape us into his image. Our wounds make us better healers; our sufferings make us more sympathetic. Our struggles and our stains help us to walk the road to heaven with others. In the end, if we are willing to surrender our past to his goodness, God’s eternal purposes for our lives will find victory.
Questions for Reflection
How has God shown you that you are worthy and beautiful in his sight? Do you believe him?
Where in your life have you seen God turn your past mistakes to good? Do you trust that he will continue to do so?
How can you help another man to discover his worth and purpose in God’s plan, no matter what mistakes he may have made?
Praying with Scripture
For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Cor 4:17–18)
You can learn more about the To the Ends of the Earth Series HERE
You can watch and listen to this devotion HERE
Mark C. McCann is an author and Ministry Consultant with more than 30 years of writing and ministry experience. He has published articles for a number of Catholic magazines and websites including St. Anthony Messenger, Emmanuel Magazine, Liguorian Magazine, Catholic Stand, the Connecticut Catholic Men's Conference, and Homiletic and Pastoral Review. He recently published the 4-volume Catholic men's devotional, To the Ends of the Earth, as well as the 2021 Advent Daybreaks devotional and 2022 Lenten Daybreaks devotional with Liguori Publishing. He has also released his End Times novel series, Jacob's Dream: The Vision and Jacob's Dream: The Final Battle. He was a radio host and producer for 8 years at a Connecticut Christian radio station and has worked as a Catholic religion teacher/campus minister and a parish youth minister. He has also served the Norwich, CT Diocese as a Youth Ministry Director and Family Life Director. He currently lives in Connecticut with his Proverbs 31 wife, where together they have brought up three incredible children. He strives each day to live out his call to be a man of words. You can learn more about Mark and his writing at www.wordsnvisions.com.
