" AFFLICTION "

                                                                 “ AFFLICTION “
                                                              (When the spirit sinks)
                                                                            By
                                                                          Mike     
                                                                     Carannante



When it comes to faith, there are endless amounts of conversations, in which all the major elements pertaining faith are disclosed, or at least we believe to  be covering just about all there is to be covered, about faith .
One thing that plenty times we fail to bring forth to discuss about, is affliction .
Affliction often times is considered an area to avoid, because it brings all but pain and discomfort .
So, with the hope that by staying away from it, it would stay away from us, we create for each of us these happy bubbles, which by the way, time and again, have proven them selves, to do worse yet damage, when it comes to agonizing the people, who involuntarily fool them selves, with thinking “ it’s the way out “ .
The first thing that sets off the alarm if we will, is the panic that takes place, that takes place due to having spent a considerable amount of time in the above mentioned “ happy bubble “ .
As it is well known for other reasons, though a torment just the same, goes straight for the thought process, and reason, thus removing any ability to see what surrounds 


us, during such struggles .
It does have much to do with faith, but the type, and amount of faith involved with it, is not found in books, nor, is it found in great numbers of people huddling together, in agreement to one equal thought .
It is found through the same state of solitude, that we’re all brought into by it .
When in solitude, there’s are better chances to recollect everything that sit’s there scattered, as a result to landing into this situation, at the time of being afflicted, since there are no time lines, or scheduled appointments to meet, or remind our selves of .
Panic is often considered the end, because we put our selves in circle, which keeps us confined from everything that’s external, and as with every other pattern, in which we get our selves stuck, we wouldn’t take long to believe it to be the truth .
The same goes when hearing things, that we rather hear as opposed to others, things that make us feel good, such as being told by friends, as well as family, that we don’t have to deal with what we’re up against during these afflictions, to resort to taking shortcuts, which in some cases are in the likes of drugs, both legal and non, not that there is any difference, hooked is hooked .
When avoiding them, we don’t get rid of them, as we are firmly believing at this point, but actually change their true purpose, which is to have us strengthen our faith, so to bring glory to God, into absolute torment .                           


Faith has a long painstaking process that needs to take place, which in order to achieve it, we have to consider the afflictions as “ PART OF THE PROCESS “ .
There’s no going around it .
Our lives are not roads with shortcuts, that we can take at our discretion, they are a straight line .
A straight line, that goes but forward, not to return to where it has began, ever again .
As the word signifies, they are to be lived, to their close to fullest, depending on our inclinations, to habits, both addictive, and engagement into panic .
There are many reason why, everything would go down, with no return, but panic really tops them all .
Panic is present, in just about every situation where disruption, misunderstanding, and even short temper .
This doesn’t mean that doubt, isn’t an ingredient mixing with all the above, in the panic pot .
Tired, or mad, sad, weary, what ever the torment .
Panic mothers them all .
When in panic, the first thing to go, is the ability to think .
Fear of not having enough time to think, and in some cases even breath .
When hearing the old expression that says, “ YOU LIE SO MUCH, YOU EVEN THINK IT’S TRUE “, the same goes to our selves, doubly so .
Most of what we perceive to be agony, is fruit of becoming convinced by our panic .



Once our thought process gets halted, so will be everything else .
Lashing at those trying to help, constantly thinking everyone else is to get us .
If there were a pick to be taken, between patience and panic, number 2 would definitely get the spot light, when it comes to testing time during afflictions .
But this is not exclusively on our selves, as there are plenty of chances, of others who just so happen not to have the slightest clue, as to what we might be going through, at the same time they condemn us .
To condemn someone based on what we see, with out being either informed of the situation they’re in, is not only a very bad thing to do morally, but also embarrassing, because “ WHOOPS “ won’t undo the damage caused by “GOING OFF HALF COCKED “ like that .
To prevent the eventual occurrence of such courses of event, there’s no better deterrent ,other than faith .
Even if, all the knowledge is acquired, before issuing judgment, faith is also constituted by understanding .
An understanding, which should not ever, be set aside, as opposed to rushed conclusions, which are much more likely a product of spread rumors, on the contrary, it should be used as a stone wall for against falsehood .
Instead, the engagement should be directed towards the restoration of faith, with in whom, has lost it, in who/what, it has been lost .


Any such reactions, what those of us perceive as orders, when truly, they are suggestions, can only be taken in, and understood, with faith .
Faith isn’t tangible, but the results of its consistency are, and those who keep it are the living proof of them .
Those who have kept it long enough, know, and are ready, for all the ridiculing, the taunting, the looking down, the isolation from so called friends, who in the end they simple consider them as commodities .
For the newbie’s, this is the first of many, for which they consider them selves to proud to “ come down to that level “ .
Unfortunately, we were all created with this hardened way of thinking, that causes us to clamp down, and not budge, until it’s to late to do anything .
Such a situation calls for one solution only .
Living proof .
Others alike, veterans of identical ordeals, to hand them the traced path out of they’re misinformation, and panic .
The more experience, on the part of the witness(es), and visible signs, that what they deem as the way out of their spiritual atrophy, has not worked for others before them, the more relaxed they become, and thus indulge in sharing their struggle, while receiving “ THE TESTIMONY “ .
When witnessing to someone who is immerged in such a struggle, that the only thing missing is covers over their 


eyes .
They do not see, what the witness sees, and speaks of to them, so the first element of witnessing faith to someone in need of it enters, and that is “ UNDERSTANDING “ .
The need for this element is so evident, its absence is mostly the cause of every failed approach to witness faith .
Then of course, there is the rejection to the suggestion that might contain “ SHOULD DO “, or, “ SHOULD NOT “, as the first reaction that comes to mind will certainly be to get rid of the witness in the most expedited way possible .
Upon approaching someone who is in spiritual turmoil, or having none of it left for that matter, the response expected, should be none .
Any, of either favorable or not, should be expected, but never attempted to dictate .
To witness onto someone, for truth in restorability of their spirit, no returns of any sort, should be expected .
That is one of the basic ingredients, with which the witness establishes trust with person in need .
Trust in some cases, can an access all areas pass .
It is what puts who ever, when ever, is to be witnessed upon for truth at ease, to a point where the next time around, they’ll make the invitation them selves .
All communications, such as counseling or discussing of situations that those seeking the truth have intend to put on table if you will, have to be done with a truthful setting .
In other words, it has to smell true from the beginning .
Not flashy, or sweet sounding, or fancily spoken, but TRUE !