It is hard to accept our own shortcomings; we often feel frustrated by them, sometimes even desperate. We think that we will reach holiness only when we overcome our weakness, and therefore we want God to show His love for us by protecting us from weakness, allowing us to achieve holiness.
However, we see that God does not act this way: just think of the lives of the saints… Holiness is not found on the opposite side of our shortcomings, trials, and temptations: it is found in the midst of them. It is up to us to learn to understand this, to learn to accept our weakness and remain in it, however, with faith and trust, in total surrender to the Lord. Then we open ourselves to God’s grace and power. However, it is not that we should love the feeling of weakness itself, not at all: we love it only because it allows God to act in our soul.
God is exceedingly pleased with your efforts and lifts you up to Himself, sanctifying you. And if one has this sweet trust and assurance, then there is no reason to lose courage.
(Mary David Totah, OSB /1957–2017/, The Joy of God)
