In
the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Discomfort is a fact of life in this world. Sometimes the discomfort
you feel may be worse than others, depending on the source and
duration. There is the irritation and discomfort of attempting to
choose carefully a nice, smooth, flat campsite, then lying down and
finding that you are directly atop a large rock or intrusive tree
root. There is the discomfort of enduring a summer day when it is
ninety-five degrees and ninety-five percent humidity. There is the
discomfort of too-tight pants caused by too much indulgence.
Similarly, you and I endure a range of psychological and emotional
discomforts. Worry about what the future will bring is discomforting.
Stress over trying to accomplish ten things at once and doing them
all right is discomforting. Encountering someone with whom you have
quarreled or fallen out is discomforting. Seeing graphic images or
hearing tragic stories in the news is discomforting.
And yet, all these discomforts are relatively easily remedied. But
often you face another set of circumstances that brings more lasting
discomfort. Illness can plague for weeks, months, or years. Personal
tragedy strikes a mark on the heart that will never quite heal. These
discomforts are not so easily relieved by rolling over or thinking
positive.
