“Never lose confidence in the hours of weakness. I also make use of them” (Inner Word).
Who does not know the hours of weakness in following the Lord? They are those hours or even periods of our life when we fall short of what we had proposed, when things do not go well and we feel abandoned to ourselves. These are the times when we succumb to our weakness, when we really would like to eradicate it.
However, our Father gives us a different counsel and uses these hours of weakness for His work of grace in us. Therefore, we must not allow our weaknesses to overwhelm us and rob us of our confidence. This can be difficult for us, especially when we are disappointed in ourselves. But we must remember that when our hearts belong to God, nothing happens without our Father allowing it and using it for our good. This is an expression of His love for us and of His divine omnipotence.
Even if we continue to commit venial sins, we must never despair on our way to holiness. Certainly, we should strive to avoid them. But usually it is not possible to eradicate them completely. In this context, the following words from a 1929 book on dogmatics may help us:
“In ordinary life, the simplest thing often turns out to be the most difficult. Just as in a work of art the fine and detailed execution is more difficult than the sketch, so in the supernatural life it is more difficult to perfect the image of God in us than the simple fulfillment of difficult duties and the avoidance of grave sins”.
Therefore, let us not lose confidence, for our Father is gracious and wise.