St Helena: Better, not Bitter

Today we celebrate St Helena, who is famous for two remarkable things: she was the mother of Constantine, the emperor of Rome who made Christianity legal, and according to tradition she found the cross that Jesus died on. 

But what I'd like to focus on is the fact that after she became the mother of Constantine, her husband Constantius left her for political reasons and remarried. She could have become bitter and angry at this betrayal. But instead she focused her energies and her life on her son Constantine. Apparently she did a good job, because he grew up to be a good emperor who brought religious freedom to his empire. After he legalized Christianity, Helena became a devout Christian and went on a pilgrimage, even though she was advanced in years. You can read more about her here. 

We all experience betrayal sometimes, don't we? It hurts deeply when it's someone we love and trust. But we have a choice in that moment - to become bitter, or to allow the pain that comes from the betrayal to make us a better person. Will you be bitter or better from your pain today?

God, thanks for the great example of this woman who rose above her circumstances and helped create a great thing. St Helena, pray for us.