Lessons from Mama T, Part 2

For those of you who haven't been following, I started a short series of blogs on a book I'm reading called Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light.  It's a compilation of the private letters of Mother Teresa, strung together to tell the story of her life.  I'm blogging about the book because, frankly, I forget good stuff a lot.  You know that phrase "in one ear and out the other"?  I'm pretty sure the person who coined it did so after having a conversation with me. 

One thing that really struck me about Mother Teresa is her committment to enjoy the moment that she was in, wherever or whenever it was.  When she committed her life to God, she knew that doing what He asked of her would often require suffering.  At the point of her calling, before God showed her what she would be doing among the poorest of the poor, she didn't know to what exent that would come true.  Yet, she approached the tasks in front of her, even the most mundane, with such a joy, a cheerfulness.  Her joy, according to the author, was the result of the "blessedness of submission;" the fruit of giving to Jesus whatever He asked of her. 

She said, "When I see someone sad, I always think, she is refusing something to Jesus." 

Wow.  A few weeks ago in a conversation with my friend Justin, we were speaking about how ridiculously difficult it was to say and MEAN one of the most important phrases I believe we can every pray:  I trust Your leadership, Jesus.  (You can read his blog about it here.)  Thinking about a life lived in complete submission, complete trust of Jesus, challenges me, especially in light of the statement above by Mama T.  A life lived submitted to Jesus and His plan for my life means that no matter WHAT happens, good or bad, devastating or encouraging, I know that He called me, He chose me, He's for me, He knows me, He loves me, and will work all things for my good (Romans 8).  So why shouldn't I be cheerful, even in the drudgeries of life?  Why should I sink into despair or hopelessness? 

I've heard preachers say that you can have the joy of the Lord without feeling or looking happy.  But if you really have His joy, if you know you're His, if you're confident in His leadership in Your life, why not show it on your face through a smile?  Why not let your eyes light up with the knowledge of His goodness?  Why look sour, dour, or depressed?  Why can't I enjoy and take delight in even the things that I'd rather not do, like washing dishes or mopping the floor?  I'm following Jesus.  I've followed him to this exact place in my life, this very spot, this very geographical location and position.  If I trust His leadership, then I trust that this is where He WANTS me to be.  He wants me to wash these dishes!  Why can't I delight in doing His will and enjoying where He has me, even in the small things?  And for gooodness sakes, why can't I SMILE about it? 

"Well this isn't how I thought things would turn out," you say.  "If I had more money, more friends, more time, more education, more _______ (fill in the blank) I'd be happier." 

You know, I'm not so sure about that.  I believe that right where you and I are this very moment, whether penniless, broken, hurt, lonely, unfulfilled, or whatever trial we're experiencing, there is a level of joy that we can experience in even the worst of times.  There is a level of content, a level of trust in Jesus that will bring cheerfulness to that situation.  Choosing to be cheerful in the face of the mundane, in the face of unfulfilled dreams and disatisfaction is a form of worship.  Mother Teresa said:

Cbeerfulness is a sign of a generous and mortified person who forgetting all things, even herself, tries to please God in all she does for souls.  Cheerfulness is often a cloak which hides a life of sacrifice, continual union with God, fervor, and generosity.  A person who has this gift of cheerfulness very often reaches a great height of perfection.  For God loves a cheerful giver...

A challenge for myself this week is to be cheerful and to enjoy each moment I live, no matter the circumstance.  I'd love for the Lord to look at me this week, smiling through both the mundane and exciting moments of life, and be blessed by my cheerfulness.  And when I'm faced with sadness or despair, I want to ask myself, "What might I be refusing to Jesus, and how can I submit to Him today in a greater way?"