The Second Year

The second year is always worse. The first year can be bad. Panic, numbness, disaster, unexpected catastrophe. But in the first year is also an understanding from yourself and your fellows that something horrible is happening and a bit of compassion results. We've seen that. 

That changes in the second year. You've had a whole year. Why is this still an issue? Why haven't you accepted/ adjusted/ bounced back/ made peace/ whatever had to happen for you to stop being a problem and start being the solution? What's wrong with you? We're seeing that, too. 

We're in the second year. We're exhausted, broke, terrified and out of patience with the situation and ourselves. Rage, despair, and depression are the hair coats we're wearing and the whips we're using. 

We can't afford to lose our patience, or our compassion, for ourselves and our fellows. For the Christ-follower, it is imperative to practice the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The Spirit will give us strength to practice these virtues if we focus on why we're doing it. We do it because God is in control and because our fellows are going to Hell without Jesus. Now, more than ever, it is time to practice our faith. Real faith in a real God who loves us and died for us and killed death forever. 

I've studied the Bible most of my life, but I haven't practiced very well. I'm making up for that now. I hope we all are. 

Keep the faith.