Advice worth making into a New Year's resolution

I found some wonderful spiritual advice on a website on Christian Psychology.

When we are hurt emotionally, we tend to want to do something about it, usually by hiding it behind some self destructive behavior. We smoke, we drink, we eat, we hide our feelings behind mindless television or avoiding our daily duties in life. Or we harbor anger and resentment, and often, we don't even realize it because we don't want to admit it to ourselves.

The Christian solution? Give your pain to God, not by denying your feelings regarding it, but by embracing your brokenness and fully admitting to God the completeness of your feelings. They suggest praying this way:

“Lord, I am wounded. I hurt. I am helpless. I am broken. I am vulnerable. Nothing I can do by my own hand can protect me. Help me, for without your mercy and protection, I will perish. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit. Help me to continue my work in your service despite the fact that I feel [betrayed, abandoned, unloved, insulted, falsely accused, etc.].”

The site quotes from the Diary of Saint Faustina:

It is not always within your power to control your feelings. You will recognize that you have love if, after having experienced annoyance and contradiction, you do not lose your peace, but pray for those who have made you suffer and wish them well.

The site also quotes from a letter by Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque:

Are you making no progress in prayer? Then you need only offer God the prayers which the Savior has poured out for us in the sacrament of the altar. Offer God his fervent love in reparation for your sluggishness. In the course of every activity pray as follows: “My God, [I do this] or [I endure that] in the heart of your Son and according to his holy counsels. I offer it to you in reparation for anything blameworthy or imperfect in my actions.”

Continue to do this in every circumstance of life. And every time that some punishment, affliction, or injustice comes your way, say to yourself: “Accept this as sent to you by the Sacred Heart of Jesus in order to unite yourself to him.”

I'm beginning to realize that it is so important to keep honest with God and give Him all our feelings, whether they be feelings of joy or feelings of anger and resentment, that I really want to make this my New Year's resolution, of sorts.

The website suggests saying this to yourself:

“As things develop, I will, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, adapt to changing circumstances and grow in holiness."

I hang onto that promise!