Going throught the tunnel

As a CBT practitioner I have learned that what we resist persists. We as humans don't like suffering but the only way out of the tunnel is through.  Yet we try to run from it, go around it, under it, over it... but not through it because it means we have to FEEL and we don't like being uncomfortable. But guess what? in the long run we end suffering soooo much more because by trying to avoid feeling our feelings and "suffering" we end up over eatting (yup I gained 10lbs in October because of it), over shopping, drinking, panic attacks, etc. 

This totally resonated with me in RCIA yesterday because we talked about the Paschal Mysteries, the suffering-death-resurrection of Christ. And how if we live life fully we will run into suffering-death-resurrection  as well. We have to embrace "suffering" feeling our feelings and discomfort, "die to ourselves" by going through the tunnel, and putting ourselves at the foot of the cross in prayer so we can "rise" into a more joy filled life and sometimes with a greater purpose. Obviously we don't go looking for suffering or hurting ourselves on purpose, its just being open to life, because life ebbs and flows with ups and downs. What helps go through our tunnel is knowing that God doesn't want bad things to happen to us and having faith in that something greater will come out of our suffering. 

We run into many little versions of it and we get to live it everyday, for example: exercising, not eatting the whole plate of french fries, waking up in the middle of the night to give yet another drink of water to a little one, or answering "why?" For the 3383920th time in a day, not napping babes or 3am wakeups... we "suffer" feel the discomfort, "die to ourselves" go through with it in order to let it go, and then "rise" by comming out with joy and a sense of fulfilment/purpose...
Feel free to share with me your small or big tunnels so I can encourage and celebrate you!

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