"Endure your trials as 'discipline'; God treats you as his sons. For what 'son' is there whom his father does not discipline? At the time, all discipline seems a cause not for joy but for pain, yet later it brings the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who are trained by it." - Heb. 12: 7,11
I love going to the gym... and I don't love going to the gym... then I love going to the gym again... then I don't love going to the gym... then I get intimidated by going to the gym... then I want to watch Netflix instead of going to the gym... then I just try to stop thinking about the gym altogether.
The gym is a place of confrontation. It is a confrontation of physical limitations, of the need for greater health, of abilities and strengths. The gym and going to the gym is certainly a place of trials and thus discipline. The gym is a place that I enter expecting trial and growing from that discipline.
I believe it would be helpful for us if we understood that each and every time you and I step out of Church and out of our prayer time, we are stepping into the "gym." Our time of prayer with the Lord is a place of solace, consolation and truth. The moment we step out of prayer, we step into a world of trials and difficulties a place where we can be disciplined and grow in faith, hope, evangelism, pastoral creativity, sensitivity to others. It is where we can be strengthened in our life in the spirit.
What is the exercise of discipline that the Lord is inviting me to grow in today?
Lord, help me get jacked in the Spirit.
Fr. Chuck Dornquast
Did You Know...
Fr. Chuck Dornquast is a son of St. Joseph Parish in Zephyrhills. After graduating from Zephyrhills High School he entered seminary where he would spend the next 9 years. While in seminary he spent time at many of our diocesan parishes and discovered more and more the heart of Christ the High Priest within him. After ordination he spent his first 4 years of priesthood as the associate pastor of St. Lawrence in Tampa. He currently serves the Diocese of St. Petersburg as the Director of Vocations.
Pray with us for the men and women discerning the priesthood and religious life. To pray for our seminarians by name or to find out more about the Diocese of St. Petersburg vocations office, click here
