Suffering might be the best way to bring you closer to God!
On this episode of “The Catholic Gentleman,” John Heinen sits down with Father Mark-Mary Ames of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal to discuss the connection between suffering and your relationship with God.
Father Mark-Mary explains the importance of remembering God’s presence in our suffering.
He says we must “really believe with every fiber of our being that God is good and worthy of our trust in the face of anything and everything.”
Trusting in God’s goodness is the cornerstone for finding comfort and hope even when we suffer.
He says God’s presence will guide and comfort us through life's trials–we just have to genuinely accept it.
"It's less and less about a life of self-improvement and more and more about growing in our awareness and our total dependence on God and His mercy."
However, maintaining an honest dialogue with God during moments of pain can be difficult.
Father Mark-Mary says, “There is a time just to mourn and so for certain people, there is a time just to experience that with the Lord.”
For those struggling with father wounds, Father Mark-Mary says prayer is a big help in learning to place your trust in God the Father.
He encourages listeners to be open with God, saying, “We have to be honest in [our] relationship with God, particularly in prayer.”
Dialogue with God can lead to gradual healing over time, turning our wounds into a deeper understanding of His love.
The gentlemen agree: embracing God's comforting presence, healing father wounds, and keeping an honest dialogue even during times of pain will bring us so much closer to Him!