“A thrilling spiritual adventure awaits you but it will take courage. The men who dared were the first pioneers to cross the wilderness. They were the front line men in the great war. Courage challenged their inner resources. You cannot climb your spiritual heights without that same courage to loosen the powers that are within you.”

William H. Danforth, 1931

Every day, we are faced with the opportunity to show inner courage or to succumb to fear and anger. How do we tap into that inner spring of mental and emotional strength?

There are times in all of our lives when things just don’t turn out the way we would like. I have experienced these personal tragedies and have stood on the sidelines while my friends have worked through their own. 

We often have a vision of how our life should unfold. But what happens when the road takes a very sharp detour? All that we want to do is resist what’s happening and somehow use our own personal will to set things right.

But life just doesn’t work that way. Sometimes we just have to hang on tight as we bump along the track at breathtaking speed. 

Intellectually, we know that we have to let go of our need to control what is happening. We have to let go of what we consider to be the ideal situation. We have to trust that God has a plan and that we will one-day understand why events unfolded in our life as they did.

But what is easy to grasp mentally can be a bear to manage emotionally. In the face of disappointment and an uncertain future, I think that we can only turn to gratitude and giving. For me, anyway, my heart heals in a place where I am feeling thankful for what IS in my life and directing my energies towards others. 

With Christmas just days away, it is my hope that a little holiday introspection will enable each of us to find and nourish that inner spring of courage and strength to face whatever challenges the coming year may bring.