“What are our real trials? By what name shall we call them? One cuts herself out a cross of pride; another, one of causeless discontent; another, one of restless impatience or peevish fretfulness. Yet we know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life, that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty.”

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
Via Women of Grace Daily Grace Lines

It’s been a rough week. We’ve all had them, and yet, when I come up against a week that gives me a workout – mental, physical, spiritual, or, like this week, all of the above – I’m always surprised. “Why me?” I scream out to God. “Why now?”

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton is a special friend of mine – my oldest daughter, also an Elizabeth, is under her patronage. It’s especially appropriate that, as I sit here on a Friday morning looking back over the week of roughness, it’s a quote from a friend that reminds me where my focus should be and Who I need to turn to for help.

I’ve had a rough week, and yet, it’s been a week where I’ve experienced the grace to cooperate with the grace that God’s had there waiting for me. It’s been a week of lessons learned, tears shed, and prayers said.

Maybe that means, in the end, that it’s been a good week. Maybe I’m judging it by different standards than I should be. Maybe there’s been spiritual growth this week, and what I’m calling “rough” is just a growing pain or ten.