Have you ever felt so much pain that you wondered how you’d ever make it through? In the midst of all your suffering, how do you find hope? How do you bear your pain? How do you carry your cross without losing sight of heaven?
“My child, life on earth is a struggle indeed; a great struggle for My kingdom. But fear not, because you are not alone. I am always supporting you, so lean on Me as you struggle, fearing nothing.” – Jesus to St. Faustina (Divine Mercy In My Soul, 1488)
The message of Christ is a heavenly one, but it is rooted in our earthly reality. He offers us hope and gives us a glimpse of our eternal home. Nevertheless, He informs us of the troubles and persecutions we will still have to face on earth.
“I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” – John 16:33 (NABRE)
Below are three ways that could help us bear our most painful sufferings in life:
1. We need to know that we are not alone
What makes our suffering worse is the thought that we are alone in our suffering. When we feel that our friends and loved ones have abandoned us and when we think that no one understands us, our burdens become heavier and more painful to bear.
The opposite is also true. Once we know that someone is there for us, our burden becomes lighter.
Isn’t this why we are encouraged to help one another as we bear our crosses in this life?
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2 (NABRE)
If you are a Christian, you are also comforted by the thought that God is with you. Jesus Christ knows what it’s like to suffer. He carried the cross even before you had to carry yours.
In my most painful moments, the thought of Christ’s sufferings brought me the greatest consolation. Through His passion and crucifixion, I could feel His love for me. I do not suffer alone.
2. We need to have hope
To accept the reality of suffering does not mean that we lose all hope for healing and relief. It is far easier to bear one’s suffering when it is only temporary.
As Christians, we believe that all of our sufferings would one day come to an end. All our struggles are fleeting. In Jesus, we can one day find eternal joy!
“For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen; for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.” – 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NRSVCE)
And it’s not only the hope for eternal life that comforts us. We are also consoled with the thought that God can help us and heal us even in this life!
“I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living.” – Psalm 27:13 (NABRE)
God is merciful and will never give us more burdens than we could possibly bear. Let us have faith in Him and pray unceasingly for His assistance.
3. We need to know that there is meaning to our suffering
“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.”― Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning
Without our faith, it would be hard to find a purpose for all our troubles. It is true that we can find meaning for some of them such as the sacrifices we make for our loved ones.
But for all our other struggles, we may feel unable to see any purpose for them at all. Why is there this kind of sickness that only hurts us and the ones we love? Why do we have to live with so much pain?
With our Christian faith, we can see our troubles from another perspective. Our suffering will no longer be futile. Joined to the suffering of Christ, it can even be “redemptive”.
“Your suffering is a great means of love, if you make use of it, especially if you offer it for peace in the world. Suffering in and of itself is useless, but suffering that is shared with the passion of Christ is a wonderful gift and a sign of love.” – Mother Teresa
Our Suffering and God’s Love
It is sometimes hard to believe in God’s love when we are in the midst of so much pain. In the end, however, it is still God’s love that can comfort us and strengthen us.
By firmly believing that God is with us, we can endure our most painful suffering. By uniting our suffering with Christ’s cross, we can offer it for the salvation of the world. Our suffering will never be meaningless.
It is God’s love and love alone that can make sense of all our sufferings in life. Let us continue to hope in Him. We can endure our most painful sufferings in the light of God’s boundless love!
“…when pain is to be born, a little courage helps more than much knowledge, a little human sympathy more than much courage, and the least tincture of the love of God more than all.”– C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain
You may also want to read: Is Christianity All About Suffering?
Jocelyn Soriano is the author of Mend My Broken Heart, Questions to God and 366 Days of Compassion. She also writes about relationships and the Catholic faith at Single Catholic Writer.
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