It’s Going To Be Okay

24 Mar

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” ~ Winston S. Churchill

“It’s going to be okay.” How many times have we wanted to hear those words? “It’s going to be okay.”

That may have been the sentiment given to us by our mothers as they took us to our very first day of school. We may have been very frightened. We may not have wanted to leave the safety and security of our home. Our mothers may have taken us to school, told us it was going to be okay, and then left us. It might have been very frightening. Maybe we did not believe that it would be okay. Maybe we were looking for more. But, we survived. And became stronger.

It’s going to be okay. Our parents may have told us that as we prepared for our first date. We might have worried about what was going to happen. Would we make a total spectacle of ourselves? Would we commit some social faux pas that would become the talk of the school the next day? What was going to happen?! But, we survived. And became stronger.

We may have searched for comfort as we left for college. For many of us, that might have been the first extended period of time away from our homes. We may have been away for a week at a time or maybe just for a weekend. However, the thought of spending months away and studying something that just very well may become our future was very nerve-wracking. We wanted our parents to tell us that it was going to be okay. We might have become very homesick initially. We might have missed our friends who went on to different colleges in different states. But, we survived. And became stronger for it.

Today, a large number of our parishioners will be confirmed. They might be very nervous. They might wonder if they are going to make a fool of themselves before the bishop. They might wonder if these Gifts of the Spirit are the real deal. They might wonder what they will be able to do with the gifts that God gives them. They might wonder if they will they live up to God’s expectations or if they will disappoint Him. They will survive. And become stronger for it.

Because, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit make us stronger. They make us able to be more committed. They help us grow deeper in love with a God who loves us so completely.

What is in store for our newly confirmed? I have no idea. But I do know one thing for certain: it’s going to be okay.

FAITH ACTION:  Pray for our newly confirmed parishioners, that they use the courage given to them by God to face the challenges of this world with dignity and grace.