“The Quick Fix”

My sister was an accomplished pianist. One day I asked her teach me how to play.  She began to demonstrate a few things, but I would quickly interrupt with” okay, I got it, I got it…let me try…” After this went on for awhile, she said, “that’s enough…enough is enough…” 

As I recalled that memory recently, I thought, boy that is something that I have carried thru my life…. I want the “quick fix”…I want to do something right now so the problem will go away or the goal will be accomplished. Sometimes it’s not a bad approach, but other times it is. “Lord, give me patience, and I want it right now”. Hmmmmmm.

Unfortunately, most situations in life are complex, and require more than a “quick fix”. I love those commercials where the new super product can stop a leaky faucet or a leaky boat in seconds…just tape it on or spray it on and “presto”, it’s fixed….incredible. Boy, I need to get some of that. 

St. Augustine said  “the Blessed Mother conceived in her mind before she conceived in her womb… in her heart before her flesh”. Somehow, the Lord had been speaking to her well before the angel Gabriel showed up. Somehow, her heart had been prepared for this great moment of the incarnation. It wasn’t a “quick fix”. She had been preparing even though she was surprised. 

At times sin can surprise me… “wow, I didn’t know that pride was so deeply rooted in me….I didn’t realize how attached I was to my own will… I didn’t realize how selfish I can be…I thought I was more humble than that”.  Lord, I don’t want to be like that…let’s fix this right now before someone notices how self-centered I am…they won’t like me…. yikes.” 

Well, conviction of sin is certainly a good thing, but God is the divine physician and knows how to deal with it; often it’s not a “quick fix”. Often the root of the sin is much deeper than the outward sign…. and the Lord is after the root. Kill the root and the surface sins die too. 

It’s about allowing the Lord the freedom to help me, to change me, to do what’s necessary to make me holy. It’s about “putting in the time” that’s required… trusting that the Lord will finish the good work he’s begun in us.  

God loves us so much. He is committed to helping us become holy. He is the “divine physician” of our soul. He wants us to be happy and he won’t quit on us until we’re there.  He knows that holiness is what will make us happy. This is all good news. If we find that the “doctor” is still doing some surgery on our heart, that’s okay…it’s because he loves us. The treatment will be successful… no “quick fix”…but the “ultimate fix”. Truly, all will be well with our soul.