Staying persistent in prayer is a challenge. But it is worth the battle as I’m finding the quality of my prayer life is directly tied to my finding God’s goodness. It is the key which opens up my heart as well as the heart of God.
When I surrender to God’s goodness and live under the law of the Beatitudes, I begin truly living and growing in holiness. This is my conversion of heart. If I am timid, fearful, always dreading evil, and letting fear overcome me, I am not living in Christian liberty, expansiveness, and joy. A vast part of my nature remains untouched by grace. The seeds of the virtues planted in me have never been developed and I hold back through fear my usefulness; I have a constant introspection and self-analysis and never seem to be able to get out of myself; I live in an atmosphere of spiritual self-consciousness. Self-abandonment in trustful love seems so far away and I am always in a restless sense of insecurity; I have no confidence in God or in the power of His grace. I think of God as a judge rather than Savior.
But then there comes a change of heart. I pass into another atmosphere where love reigns, where positive action takes the place of mere watchfulness and self-restraint; I launch out into the deep, and put forth my powers, and strive to live rather than not to die—to do good rather than not to do evil, to put forth all my strength and energy in the loving service of God and man. My persistence in prayer leads me where I am meant to be, with an open heart.
Prayer is the best armor we have, it is the key which opens the heart of God.
–Saint Padre Pio of Pietrelcina
Thank you Lord for allowing me to open Your heart through my own open heart, finding love and goodness.
Smitten With Goodness 