If you've been in this world more than a few years, you know what suffering feels like. Some sufferings cause us great pain, while others only minor irritations. Pain is never desired but when connected to Jesus and Mary, it can be beneficial in our growth and the growth of those connected to us innocently or through the infection of sin.
Suffering has many faces. We can suffer because of poor choices made by ourselves or others. We can also suffer physically due to an ailment, disease, or injury. These sufferings can cause great mental anguish on top of physical manifestations of pain.
As a child, I was bottle fed people pleasing. It was my job from my earliest memories to care for the emotions of those around me. I had to be careful in my words and actions not to upset the adults around me. This grew me into an adult that felt responsible for everyone in my vicinity. When I say vicinity, I truly mean it. I felt responsible for strangers I came across. I wasn't just kind because we are called to be so. I was so kind and helpful that it was nauseating.
The people pleasing that infiltrated my marrow caused me great stress. I constantly fretted over my words and actions. When I walked away from an encounter, I replayed it over and over in my head. Each replayed reel showed me more mistakes I had made in the interaction.
The suffering that accompanied me down this rabbit hole was, well, insufferable. I rarely felt peaceful and constantly worried that people did not like me. Due to the ever present concerns, I suffered with stomach issues and never felt rested.
Like many of you, I have suffered due to other's sinful choices and patterns. I have dealt with various forms of abuse and had to learn how to recognize that the abuses were not my fault. Carrying the shame, guilt, and ugliness of another's sin causes deep and painful suffering, especially when done in fear and silence. The suffering leads to many lies that we believe as truths. For example, we often feel worthless, unlovable, and dirty.
Suffering comes when we have any sort of physical ailment, be it an illness, disease, or injury. The physical discomfort and pain is generally accompanied by mental pain. Fear, discouragement, anger, etc. often tag along and leave us feeling hopeless and helpless.
Suffering of any kind leaves us feeling frustrated and often overwhelmed. The enemy gets a great kick out of our discouragement and roots for us to disconnect from Jesus and try and just live with it.
Thankfully, this is not the plan of our Savior. He never intended for us to suffer alone or in vain. He wants us to give Him our suffering and connect it to the suffering He had on the cross. Even still, He calls us to connect our pain to His mother, Mary, who experienced great sorrow as she watched her son in the most terrible pain dying for each one of us.
But how do we do this?
We connect our suffering to Jesus and Mary by offering our pain to them. We do this by willfully submitting to them and asking for each to walk alongside us. We ask for guidance, mercy, love, and peace to accompany us.
I am a visual person so I will visualize myself handing my suffering to Jesus and mama Mary. I picture them taking it, lovingly smiling upon me, and releasing me from the agony. Does this make the suffering instantly leave me? Nope, not usually. But it does truly help me feel relief and comfort. It makes me remember that I am not alone in the process of healing.
John 16:33
I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.
If we are breathing, we will encounter suffering. Our world is one that has tragedies, abuses, illnesses, and deceit. I am so grateful we do not have to do this alone.
If you are in a suffering valley, take it to Jesus and allow Him to walk you through it.
In peace,
