The spirit of kindness can be fleeting and vanish easily immersed in our own suffering and self-pity.
It is so easy to look at our own pain and struggles and lose sight of the beauty others bring into that darkness.
This may be exactly when and where God wants to break into our hearts. When I’m not able to be kind, not because I don’t want to be kind, but because I just hurt, and that’s all I can pay attention to.
Sometimes we’re critical and we’re harsh with other people because they’re not kind. They seem to be selfish, consumed. And maybe it’s because they just hurt, and all they can see is their own brokenness, their own pain.
The old adage of ‘offer it up’ comes into clarity in this suffering. When the soul learns to joyfully offer up his present moment of suffering, no matter how big or small, kindness can breathe in his heart. Offering up our present suffering, pain and darkness to God for another soul – or even better, offering it to the Immaculate that she may engage it how it best fills the suffering the of Christ. This can be an ointment for another soul in pain and work to raise our eyes from within our present situation to see another soul.
Mother Cabrini, Mother Theresa and many other saints stepped into a dark piece of the world and despite their own sufferings and brought kindness to a world much in need of this act.
What the Spirit of God wants to do is to move in us. And in the midst of whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, we’re able to be kind. We’re able to see the person in front of us.
Come, Holy Spirit. God, often it takes so little effort, but it seems like I’m not even able to do that. Lord, help me to be kind. Come with Your Holy Spirit that allows me today to provide a simple act of kindness for the person that You place on my heart. Perhaps it’s cooking something for somebody, sending somebody an encouraging text or encouraging note, or calling someone, buying a stranger a cup of coffee. Let me see the other person and allow me the fruit of being kind.
“You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse or absolve yourself from it. I am giving you three ways of exercising mercy toward your neighbor: the first- by deed, the second – by word, the third – by prayer. In these three degrees is contained the fullness of mercy, and it is an unquestionable proof of love for Me. By this means a soul glorifies and pays reverence to My mercy.” Divine Mercy in My Soul # 742