Author Topic: Offering pain to God. How does it work? (Read 634 times)

cassini · « **on:** July 24, 2015, 02:15:55 PM »

Last week this 73 year old spent seven days in hospital with appendicitis that went very baaad. Perpetual pain, discomfort and sleeplessness.

During it I offered it all up to God for my sins while at the same time asked him for relief ASAP. With so much thinking time at my disposal I wondered if this were not a kind of contradiction.

It is a subject I have never seen debated. Is it enough to offer pain to God in one's mind and then get on with wishing it was all over. It is not like asking God for pain to offer up, but offering up pain you got but didn't want.

Is there something else one can do or say, or think, that is necessary for such an offering. Either way I knew I would have to suffer for some time..

I would appreciate your thoughts.

PS, I am now on the mend, One stone lighter with everyone telling me I'm looking 'great.' God works in strange ways.

Ladislaus · « **Reply #1 on:** July 24, 2015, 02:21:58 PM »

No contradiction at all. See Our Lord in the Garden. Sometimes the more that your own will wants to reject it, the more meritorious it is to actually accept it and offer it up. St. Therese referred to the desires of her own will as her "little desires", which she would always put before God while being resigned not to have them fulfilled if they weren't also God's desires.

I'm happy that you're doing better now. I had a burst appendix when I was twelve that kept me in the hospital for two weeks.

shin · « **Reply #2 on:** July 24, 2015, 10:25:39 PM »

It may sound odd, but generally embracing pains for God's sake rather than resisting them can make them less painful.

Nadir · « **Reply #3 on:** July 25, 2015, 03:58:05 AM »

Quote from: shin

It may sound odd, but generally embracing pains for God's sake rather than resisting them can make them less painful.

Aren't we an odd bunch! :scratchchin:

Pleased to hear your on the mend, Cassini. You must have needed to lose that stone, seeing you are looking great now! One of the best things that ever happened to me was a heart attack. Makes you appreciate that life is short and tenuous.

Cera · « **Reply #4 on:** July 25, 2015, 03:50:19 PM »

My take on this is that the enemy increases our suffering. When we offer our suffering to the Lord, we are glorifying Him by exercising humility and submitting ourselves to His will. It is not useless suffering when we offer it to Him for His glory.

This humiliates the enemy. When we resist him he will flee.

And oftentimes, our suffering is somewhat reduced, since we realize that it is valuable to God.

Cantarella · « **Reply #5 on:** July 25, 2015, 09:03:11 PM »

Out of all others, for Catholics, suffering is meritorious. We must offer our suffering for the redemption of our sins and for those in purgatory. Remember that the sorrow we endure in this earth is short compared to eternity. Do not ever forget that and be always on guard against the Father of Lies who will be trying to discourage you, take you into despair, and break you spiritually.

We have the promise of Our Lord that our sorrow shall become joy in Heaven: “Amen, amen, I say to you, that you shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice; and you shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. A woman about to give birth has sorrow, because her hour has come. But when she has brought forth the child, she no longer remembers the anguish for her joy that a man is born into the world. And you (Christ’s disciples) therefore have sorrow now; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no one shall take from you” (John 16: 18-22).

This is an excellent article for chronic pain sufferers on how to turn suffering into eternal merit:

Chronic Pain

http://catholicism.org/chronic-pain.html