You Can See A Lot By Looking

You can see a lot by looking. - Yogi Berra 

Almost all of the conflict in our lives comes to us when we live into the lie that we deserve to have our own way.  That the difficult people in our lives wouldn't be difficult if they were just able to see the world as we see it.    

Along those same lines, our struggle for peace in the middle of trials and tribulations is often grounded in our perceived need for things to work out in our favor... every time.  

The late singer/songwriter Rich Mullins captured this struggle in his song, "Hold Me Jesus": 

Surrender don't come natural to me. 
I'd rather fight you for something 
I don't really want
Than to take what you give that I need. 

This morning I read this convicting and powerful quote from Richard Rohr, who writes:   "It is our resistance to things as they are that causes most of our unhappiness." 

Make no mistake, Rohr isn't advocating a kind of helpless resignation--far from it.  

What he's inferring is that far too many of us spend almost all of our energy railing against the realities we're confronted with on a daily basis--realities that seem to reinforce our mistaken perception that life (for us) just isn't fair.  

Instead, we should be using all of that energy to create positive responses to those realities.  To begin to see those realities as opportunities for growth and change.  And then to ultimately see our world, our circumstances and all of life through the loving and grace-filled eyes of God.  

May you find the strength to lift your head and see your world, your life, and your realities through the eyes of your loving Divine Parent.  

May you give up struggling to have your own will and your way and discover the courage to surrender your outcomes.  

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.