God says to pick up our cross and follow him. It sounds easy enough. When we look at our life, sometimes we can easily understand what that cross is, but are there different types of crosses?
That’s an important question to ask because sometimes, these are not the crosses that God gives us, but these are consequences to errant behavior or errant ways.
So how can we distinguish between those crosses; between the ones that God gives us and one that maybe is a consequence to an errant behavior?
First and foremost, we were never meant to walk this life alone. Jesus has said to us, “Where two or three are gathered in his name, He too is present.” Right away that tells us, we’re not meant to do this alone.
As a parish priest, as a spiritual father, I have found myself in many situations, some might say 100%, being the number two. That person who would come to my unworthiness would be number one, I’d be number two, and God is number three. So really, even though there’s two people talking, there’s three of us who are working dynamically together to go deep within the consciousness of our soul to understand ourselves better.
There’s so many benefits and blessings from having a spiritual father or father confessor to help us understand the crosses in our lives and help weed out which are the ones that lead us to salvation and which are the consequences of errant behavior.
You might ask yourself, “How do I chose this spiritual father?”
If you want to find someone who’s going to walk with you in Christ, you gotta go to Jesus! You have to pray with an open heart, “Lord, I want to know You better. I wanna know myself better. I wanna know what that road to salvation is. So please, enlighten me, lead me, send me to someone who’s going to be able to help me open myself up to You. Someone I can trust. Someone I can respect, someone I can see Your face in.”
And when you do that, be patient with God. Even time is used by God to bring us closer to Him. Sometimes it will seem like a long while until he answers. It’s out of love. He wants to know how much do you really mean what you’re saying.
I have benefited and am benefiting from that spiritual relationship. I want you to prayerfully consider, especially if you want to grow more intimate in your relationship with God, simply taking the time and asking him. God is going to match you.
If you don’t believe me, why would you ever ask him to help you find a life mate? Why would you trust him with that and not trust him with your salvation?
I want you to consider this to help you better understand what the crosses are in your life. What crosses can be easily dropped, easily set aside, and what is that cross that has been given to you by Him that will lead you to salvation?
Nicholetta Demetelin says
Thank you again Father. May God bless you and your family. It is through your ministry that has shown me another way to solve my personal problems.God is with me and demonstrates constantly in my everyday life how to bear my crosses. May God keep you and your family well . Thank you Father.
Vangie Orfanakos says
Dear Father George,
Your Blessing!
Thank you so very much for giving from your abundance of blessings, arising out of your Love of God, for the journey of Salvation in Christ. It is so good of you to share the joy you have experienced in upliftedness, as the health circumstances were ‘lightened’ by the angels surrounding you, during these two days that you’ve highlighted, lifting with love- the pains, so you can truly be part of creating new joys for your family, at home, at All Saints Church, and throughout the world. It is a great blessing for all. This video message is so much appreciated! Hearing your voice helps others be well. May God continue to be the center of your life and focus. Thank you for helping us ‘see’ in His Light, the Life He has for us all in Him. With continued hope, and prayers for you and for your beautiful PrsDianthe and for your entire family.
With appreciation, with sisterly agape in ministry unto the Lord, with respect and love from Fr. Peter and from me, with ongoing prayers of the soul of our son John-Peter Iakovos,
Your sister-in-Christ,
Vangie
Denise Cargill says
Lord I want to know you better ! Thank you Fr. George – I will be praying and waiting to see God working in my life !
Nick B. says
Thank you, Father.
Thomas Pisano says
Thank you Father George . Prayers for you and your family . May God bless all of you .
Carol Halkias says
Thank you Father George ❤️