There is no education like adversity

Let nothing trouble you. Let nothing frighten you. Everything passes. God never changes. Patience obtains all. Whoever has God wants for nothing. God alone is enough.-- St. Teresa of Jesus

Sirach 47: (2 - 11)
As the fat is selected from the peace offering, so David was selected from the sons of Israel. He played with lions as with young goats, and with bears as with lambs of the flock. In his youth did he not kill a giant, and take away reproach from the people, when he lifted his hand with a stone in the sling and struck down the boasting of Goliath? For he appealed to the Lord, the Most High, and he gave him strength in his right hand to slay a man mighty in war, to exalt the power of his people. So they glorified him for his ten thousands, and praised him for the blessings of the Lord, when the glorious diadem was bestowed upon him. For he wiped out his enemies on every side, and annihilated his adversaries the Philistines; he crushed their power even to this day. In all that he did he gave thanks to the Holy One, the Most High, with ascriptions of glory; he sang praise with all his heart, and he loved his Maker. He placed singers before the altar, to make sweet melody with their voices. He gave beauty to the feasts, and arranged their times throughout the year, while they praised God's holy name, and the sanctuary resounded from early morning. The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his power for ever; he gave him the covenant of kings and a throne of glory in Israel.

As well as the story of David and Goliath is known, few of us truly take the time to understand what these verses mean. As David faces off against the giant Goliath, he calls upon God for aid. If nothing else, something that we can take from this passage is that God is always there to support us, and all we need to do is ask for his aid.

I once heard someone say that God is strongest when you cannot feel him there. While this may seem a little contradictory, allow me to shed some light upon the statement. As we pull away from God, he has to try to get us back, and the more distant we become, the harder he has to pull to be noticed by our hearts. When we are lost, God is searching, trying to find his way to us, and he has to try harder and harder to get us back and wrap us again in his love. In short, God is always available for help, providing light in the dark, and strength to get through the day. Since we are approaching the Valentine season, why not give God a valentine, for all the love he has shown the world?