“We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” CS Lewis
“The Cross is the central event in time and eternity, and the answer to all the problems of both.” Oswald Chambers
“…Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NIV
- Pain is a reality of life
- Pain has a purpose
- Pain can be denied, numbed, or embraced as a gift
- Pain can teach us how to pray
“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!” Matthew 26:36-46 NIV
How to Pray When You’re in Pain:
P Petition the prayers and help of others (Matthew 26:36-37)
“Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:13 NIV
“…mourn with those who mourn.” Romans 12:15 NIV
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2 NIV
A Allow yourself to feel what you feel (Matthew 26:38)
“My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.”
I Imitate how Jesus prayed (Matthew 39, 42)
- Jesus addressed God with His intimate & personal title “My Father” lit. “Abba”
- Jesus pleaded to the power of a loving Father
“If it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.”
(If Jesus asked to change his circumstances so can we)
- Jesus yielded to the plan of a sovereign Father
“My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”
“The Father said “no” to the Son and that “no” brought about the greatest good in all history.” Vaneetha Riner
N Nourish your soul in God’s promises before, during, and after your season of pain
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4 NIV
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV
“God doesn’t comfort us to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters.”
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 NIV