Men's Rosary

Why do some people succeed, and others fail, or at least not do as well?  There are probably dozens of answers, but I want to focus on one in particular.  That would be lack of purpose and perseverance.  These two things are crucial in building a healthy life and also a healthy spirituality. 

When set out to do anything we must determine the purpose of the effort, the “why.”  If not, it becomes too easy to give up when the going gets hard.  There have been many times that work seems much too demanding and hard.  If it were just for the money, I would choose to work less.  But when I see it as a means for my family to live, it changes the attitude.  Rather than giving up, I push through.  The next layer to this goes even deeper.  If we connect this to God’s will, it becomes impossible to give up on, no matter the cost.  This will be the case in any challenge we face.  This exercise will keep us focused and connected with God in all things.  “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance, and perseverance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”         (Romans 5:3-5)

All this is especially true for our prayer life.  All to often, one will say “I am going to commit to a full prayer life,” only to start for a few days or week or even months and then stop.  This is many times due to a mind set of “should do” rather than “why do it.”  If we do not want to have a real intimate relationship with God, how would we expect to have a healthy life of prayer.  To enter into a marriage, it should be more about what I can do for the other than how being with the other makes me feel.  It is the same with God.  Yes, time in prayer in God’s presence should feel good.  But what if that is the reason we pray, and  the feeling is not there?  We would most likely stop.  If we were entering prayer for God’s glory, doing something for him while building upon our personal relationship with him, we would continue regardless of what we felt.  Much as we will stay in our marriage even through the tough times.  The “why” has to be strong and it can not be about us.  “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing  (James 1:2-4)  

When we come to prayer, as when we come to Mass, know our “why.”  Let us not come to get something.   Rather, let us come to bring something to God.  Bring him our praise and thanksgiving, and we can also lay our needs before him which he clearly sees even before we do!  This is the best good we can possibly do.  “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”   (Galatians 6:9) 

“To begin is for everyone.  To persevere is for saints.”  (St. Josemaria Escriva)