Four powerful ways to handle suffering with Christ

“What now? What do I do with all this suffering?”

I’ve had many dark moments in my life. And just when we think we’ve overcome one battle, another strikes. Whether the battle has gone on for six months or six years, we can never grow accustomed to the suffering. Yet, as Christ believers what are we to do with what seems like endless suffering? Yes, many say “God only gives what you can handle.” But what about when our circumstances seem hopeless?  

I have found myself asking this same question over and over. Can I handle it? Am I strong enough to continue in faith while my life crumbles apart? As humans and especially women, we love to have everything under control. Regardless of what stage of life you’re in, in college, as a wife, or mother. If it’s a responsibility that falls into our laps, it needs to be handled “correctly”.

But when God decides to rip our control from under us, what then?

The word clearly states that in this life we absolutely will have trials and tribulations Romans 12:12. And intellectually that seems obvious, until we ourselves are put under flame and fire.

The entire book of Job is over suffrage, just and unjust suffering from man’s POV. Even his friends who came along to “encourage” him attempted to find some sin or reason that could justify why God had seemingly abandoned him and destroyed his life economically, spiritually, emotionally. In our human minds, we try to find some understanding of why we have been wronged or why God has allowed something to happen to us. And if we aren’t sober-minded, those negative feelings begin to take root in our hearts. Job’s friends attempted to do that for him; they attempted to find a reason for his demise. His own wife claimed, “curse God and die!” Job 2:9-13. Yet even in all his grief and bitterness, he just praised God.

How is this even possible? How do we praise God when the worst thing we ever feared comes to be?

When tragedy hits, we all fall under two umbrellas of suffering. We either cling unto God, or we cling onto our broken selves. Proverbs 3:5-6

During one of the toughest seasons of my life, I had to make this decision repeatedly. How am I going to suffer?

The bible teaches us in many scriptures how to suffer well.

Here are just a few verses that give us hope amid our trials.

I suggest committing these to memories so that when thunder strikes, they help calm your inner storm, resting and trusting in God’s overall goodness. Scripture helps us take a step back and better understand God’s unmovable goodness. While the Holy Spirit guides our thoughts to submission and acknowledgement. Though the battles we face seem so despairing, God’s goodness will prevail.

Recognize and Take Action

Here are some practical ways we can actively capture the doubts that are sure to creep in at some point.

1. Recognizing who God is.  

Recognition: When you begin to think, how unfair God has been, or question His decisions. Acknowledging God’s authority over all and steadfast love towards his children, helps eliminate that daunting question, of “why me.”

Action: During Job’s despair, he was unafraid to show his true emotions but even though he suffered, he knew who God was. “Then Job answered and said, I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God? If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once a thousand times. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength,” Job 9:1-4.

Don’t be afraid to show your true feelings before God, he can handle the ugliest of emotions. We cannot offend Him if we are coming before Him in reverence and respect. Lean on His understanding, and vocalize your pain. Find also a wise and God-fearing friend to be able to confide in and pray with.

2. Giving thanks to God.

Recognition: When we start to focus all our hurt and grief on the wrong things like bitterness, hate, anxiety and depression they begin take root within our hearts. The enemy takes advantage of our suffering.

Action: A grateful heart heals our suffering. “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord,” Job 1:21. By practicing gratitude through our suffering, we are re-wiring our minds to focus on what we do have rather than what we have lost. Giving thanks to God, is supernatural and God has repeatedly said that if we ask in the name of Jesus, our prayers will be answered, John 14:13-17.

This can look like spending time in prayer, worship or even journaling all your thoughts and bringing them before God’s throne and giving Him thanks for what He has allowed to happen.

Here are some of my favorite journals and planners to shop at and write down your thoughts?

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3. Hoping while hopeless.

Recognition: This one is probably the most difficult one to do. Because everything and maybe everyone around you could indicate otherwise, that there is no hope for your situation. The opposite of hope is despair, and we cannot say we have hope if we doubt. God has everything under control even when all might seem lost. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope,” Jeremiah 29:11.  

Action: Practicing a hopeful mindset brings us closer to God. Speaking life into a situation rather than letting despair take over, revives our strength. It allows us to learn fully how to trust and depend on Him.

This can look like fasting, rebuking negative thoughts, calling on friends to encourage and pray for you. Or just go out for prayer walks by yourself or with others.

4. Honoring Him by serving others.

Recognition: Sometimes our suffering causes us to isolate by removing ourselves completely from friends, family and social media. And it’s also exactly where the enemy wants you to be, alone.

Action: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God,” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4. If we are going through a difficult season, chances are someone around you are going through one as well.

This is where Christ calls on us to love and outdo one another with love, Romans 12:10. When we start to serve others with the same compassion God is showing us through our own battles, we can comfort one another and carry each other’s burdens through prayer and friendship.

Eventually the nightmare will end. God has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. He has promised to help us endure to the end.

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:10

You might also like:

4 Biblical Truths to get out of a spiritual rut: Jumpstart your faith again – LR

How to study and understand the bible better as a new Christian – LR

Searching for a group of girls that love Jesus?  Send an email to [email protected] or follow me @lovedndredeemed

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