Mankind has always faced adversity.
As humans we can enjoy the good times that are given to us – the times of contentment, of joy and laughter, of love. But being human also means and has always meant dealing with challenges and difficulties, even, as it becomes obvious when we look out into the world, with tragedy and war. All the challenges that we are faced with are part of our journey as humans, they are part of our evolution.

In dealing with and fighting against adversity, in hoping for good and peaceful outcomes to our struggles and in realizing our own growth as humans throughout those struggles, we may come to realize that we cannot make adversity disappear. We cannot get rid of the challenge that life poses. What really counts is how we deal with what is given to us – how we stand up to adversity. If we can’t control what happens to us at least we can try to control how we respond to it. And in standing up to adversity, to the things that are out of our control, we can acquire the trust and the faith that through all those trials something higher wants to reveal itself:

“Then the son of man will appear to seeing souls in the clouds of the sphere of life, borne up by the might of the world powers, radiant with the glory of revelation. And when all this begins to happen, straighten yourselves, stand upright and raise your head, for then your redemption is drawing near.” (Lk 21)

This contemplation is by Rev. Inken Contreras and inspired by Luke 21.