Many of us can probably relate to the Israelites in today’s first reading – lamenting in the wilderness, as we navigate trials of our own in our lives. However, we must be mindful not to allow these frustrations to grow into a sense of resentment and ingratitude – especially towards God.

We are invited today to shed our old perspectives of our sufferings and to adopt new lenses. Our sufferings are not inconveniences or God’s negligence in our lives. Instead, they grant us the opportunity to reorientate our lives and to experience His goodness in a new way. Let us not lose sight of His goodness in the tough times, nor the tough times in our seasons of consolations. Each of these have an important place in our journey towards holiness that we are constantly invited to lean into, so as to experience Him in a new way.

Reflection question: What is a new perspective of a trial in my life, that the Lord is inviting me to adopt?