I started to ponder this idea when I attended a sister’s grad mass this week. Which was standing firm in the faith. Everybody has heard this line a bunch of times its even in this year’s RYC “Fight the good fight of faith”1Tim 6:12. But sometimes you hear it so much that you lose the weight of the meaning which I’m experiencing. What I’m trying to say is standing firm in your faith is very complex , it could be in different forms ,to sometimes very literal(which I’m gonna talk about later) and it’s VERY HARD TO DO, especially you think about the small details in your life that could determine if you are standing firm in your faith or not.
This idea pop up because during mass I forgot which part of the mass but it is when you need to stand, less than half of the congregation wasn’t standing and you can see some who are not sure what to do. I’m pretty sure because of social conformity the majority just stayed seated because majority was. I felt the same way, I wasn’t confident as a stood up, I did those up and down with a look around you motion waiting for people to stand up before you. But lucky I had brothers beside me who assured me with their action and stood their confidently while I see more than half of the congregation sitting. As I look around this idea of standing firm in the faith pop up in my head. (That mass also was “interesting” in a sense that fuelled my idea of standing firm in a society that is becoming more secular which maybe I’ll talk about it some other time)
When I gave that situation more thought, that’s when I realize how truly giving your all, standing firm in the faith could be in the most simplest of action and still have the same or even more impact than through speech.Even as simple as standing up, your quite literally standing firm in your faith when the people around you are with uncertainty.
Oh, I realize too the importance of being the first one or first people to stand up in your faith, takes courage. Some of you probably know, seen, and experience like this social phenomenon video where one guy is dancing alone in a crowd and next thing you know crowds of people are dancing with him. The reason why I related this to standing firm is that it takes courage to be the first, to stand out in a crowd but as more and more people join in less and less courage is needed for other people to join. We need to be the first guy or the first people to stand in our faith so it makes it easier for other people who are unsure or just need a little push with their faith or just no faith at all. It gives an opportunity for those people to look into the great faith that we have, getting rid of the barriers that they may face that’s preventing them to accept or stand for God.
This made a big impact in me because there are many times where I failed to be strong and courageous in my faith and lost sight, but deep inside I know and want to give my all, truly to God. Sometimes I question myself can I really stand up and be firm in my faith, even those small actions. Will I be able recognize and act in those situation? Do I have the stamina to keep going? Can I be fearless to be the first when no else or few is standing next to you? Am I actually willing to sacrifice all to God?
This just hit me hard especially when I think about going through and becoming a MV how much I need to work harder on just being courageous and being strong through everything even in just an action. It even came to a point where I tried to much to be the person that I’m not, focusing on how to gain to give rather focusing on my gifts to give(this is probably next weeks reflection). Self-doubt kicks in hard when I think of these things, as I wrote that my “confidence meter” just went down a little thats who sometimes unstable I am still.
Just to summarize what I have reflected, it is when even in the most simplest of action you can lift up God’s name and can be a very powerful in evangelizing others.
As for my prayer for today please help me pray for I am able to stand firm in everything I do even in the most simplest of actions and to fight as hard as I can to battle any hindrances that I may face. Also to build my confidence so that I’m not overwhelmed by myself doubt so that I can show to the world how great our God is and that is worth to stand for in the midst of uncertainty.
Amen.
Gabby Pador