How does one "offer up" their sufferings?

[Giannawannabe]

Lately, I’ve had a few frustrating and discouraging things happen. As with all people, there are problems in my life that I simply can do nothing about. For some reason, God has put these crosses in my life. Most times I can deal with my crosses fairly well. At other times, I get very down and upset. Yesterday was one of those times. I tried to “offer up” my frustration and discouragement over this situation. I tried not to complain or vent to my husband and sister, and instead said to myself “I offer this to you Father for my children’s intentions”.

Is this how to “offer up” sufferings? Just not complain or dwell on our sufferings, and sort of give them back to God for certain intentions? I guess I’m wondering because some of these crosses I have really get me down and I feel so lonely and discouraged. I want to complain and talk about them. However, when I do, it almost makes them more difficult to bear because I’m ashamed that I’ve complained.

I hope all of that is understandable. I’d give examples of the crosses I’m talking about, but that would be complaining, right?

 

[springbreeze]

Dear friend

You are not complaining by recognising the injustice of a situation or by being saddened by it. That is a normal human reaction. Christ Jesus Himself cried in the Garden of Gethsemane and also at the death of Lazarus.

Jesus is sorry for all of your sufferings. He doesn’t desire you suffer but He will allow it for your salvation and to bring good out of the evil that is done in this world by people to other people and the awful physical and spiritual sufferings that take place.

Jesus loves you and anything you hand over to Him He will use to your benefit and to the benefit of all humanity, even if you remain hurt and saddened. It is only in retrospect that we can see why we had to endure certain things in our lives and God doesn’t expect us to endure them alone. He calls all humanity to help each other and by this love each other and He Himself goes through everything with you as He is always with you, indwelling your soul. Anything done to you is done to Christ Jesus and anything you do to others is done to Christ Jesus, in this way all our sufferings are united with His and we have to offer them to Him for Him to be invited to use them and make good in all adversity and for redemption.

In the Garden of Gethsemane He saw every sin in all of the world for all time committed and carried the weight and burden of them. Imagine seeing all the sins we have commited ourselves and all those committed against us and God, then imagine dying for them all…we can truly say wherever we are and whatever happens Christ Jesus has endured before us and in that endurance is sad for us and loves us deeply.

Continue to offer your sufferings for your intentions and those of your children as you are and if you remember offer them for your own soul, for the whole humanity and for the Holy Souls in purgatory, for mercy and for everlasting life.

We should share our sufferings, by doing this we give opportunity for the Body of Christ to fulfill their Christian duty of faith, love and good works. I don’t think you are bitter about your sufferings, though that is what we should guard against we should not be bitter and hateful towards other people and God. We bear the injustice and sadness well without hateful speech but we speak of our sadness, that is not wrong that is Christian sharing.

For example, if someone you know was suffering in their body with some disease, and they didn’t tell you at all, you would have been deprived of assisting that person. There is nobility in suffering in silence but it impoverishes the whole Christian community to do so. Prudence dictates though that we make good assessment of what we do speak about and the effect it may have to speak about our sufferings. This is a call to consceince and the benefits and possible down-sides. For exmaple if someone was hurtful to you, you may bear that silently to preserve their good name. You have to decide which is the better course in any given situation. It would be prudent though in such a case to speak to a Priest or a close and trusted friend/ family member and therefore you have received the support you require and the matter will not become common gossip.

In all cases, ask God to send the helper, the helper always comes.

Acceptance of sufferings as God’s will even if it is a grave injustice leads us straight to Jesus at Calvary. As you know there is no crown without the cross; all things are blessings.

We do not have a God who does not partake in our sufferings, Christ Jesus is God who suffers and in all of that suffering He redeems us. It is a privalege to suffer, we share in the Cross of Christ Jesus, if the Son of God suffered who are we then not to suffer?

I will keep you in my prayers. I am here should you need me to be, as a friend.

God Bless you and much love and peace to you

Teresa

 

[EsclavoDeCristo]

Giannawannabe:

…Is this how to “offer up” sufferings? Just not complain or dwell on our sufferings, and sort of give them back to God for certain intentions? I guess I’m wondering because some of these crosses I have really get me down and I feel so lonely and discouraged. I want to complain and talk about them. However, when I do, it almost makes them more difficult to bear because I’m ashamed that I’ve complained.

I hope all of that is understandable. I’d give examples of the crosses I’m talking about, but that would be complaining, right?

I’m no expert but I would say, yes, this is how to offer up sufferings. I can, and think that most people can, relate with your situation.

I agree that you should try to not complain. Keep laying your sufferings at Christ’s feet, at the foot of the cross.

If you can, go to daily Mass and offer your sufferings and frustrations up to God as a sacrifice. Ask Christ to take them and transform them into virture and strength!

Praise the Lord that you are trying to be edified by these difficulties instead of allowing the devil to discourage you.

God bless you and be assured of my prayers!

 

[Didi]

You are right, you simply offer to God your struggles, pains, frustrations, worries, etc.; join them with the suffering of Jesus and offer them for a specific intention or for whatever soul is in most need of God’s mercy and grace.

Here are a couple of my favorite prayers:

The Morning Offering makes your whole day, all you do and say, an offering to God:
Dear Lord Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary I offer you my day – my works, my rest, my prayers, my joys and my sufferings – for the intention of Your Most Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for our sins, for the intentions of our friends and family, for the intentions of our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, for all souls in purgatory and for [any special intention here].

An Offering of Suffering:
O my Lord Jesus Christ, I lift up my heart to You in my suffering and ask for Your comforting help. I know that you would withhold the thorns of this life if I could attain eternal life without them. And so I commend myself to Your loving mercy, accepting this suffering in Your Name. Grant me the grace to bear it and to offer it in union with Your sufferings. Regardless of the suffering that may come my way, let me trust You always, for You are my Lord, my God and my All. Amen.

Mother Teresa used to tell her sisters “Love until it hurts. It hurt Jesus to love us.”

 

[Mamamull]

Yep there are several prayers or you can just offer them up. Being stoic can be good, but being human is more the way we are.

I usually offer Jesus my suffereings for him to use as He wishes. Being a suffering soul for the Lord is not without merit – or suffering.

Sometimes my pain or discomfort will end fairly quickly and sometimes it doesn’t. I do try to be stoic about physical pain, but emotional pain is very hard for me to hide. Sometimes I can control the tears, but other times I couldn’t prevent them even if my mortal life depended on it.

You are in my preayers, dear one.

I try to start my day with this one – even before my feet hit the floor – so that if I am unable to do something more formal as far as prayer goes, my entire life as wife and mother is offered.

Morning Offering to the Sacred Heart

O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer You my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day for all the intentions of Your Sacred Heart, in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world, in reparation for my sins, and in particular for the intentions of our Holy Father for this month.

 

[Giannawannabe]

Thank you all for your thoughtful replies. I went to Mass yesterday and offered my sufferings in unity with Jesus’ sufferings on The Cross.
I was able to talk to a good and faithful friend who told me to remember that taking the “opportunity” to offer our sufferings to God helps us grow in His Grace. It does help to look at suffering like an “opportunity”. She reminded me that Heaven is where we want to be, and the more opportunities we pursue to give Glory to God, the more likely we will spend eternity with Our Father in Heaven. In Heaven, there is no suffering, loneliness, illness, financial problems, etc.

I’m glad that I did actually talk about my problems with someone who could lead me back to seeing things in the right way.

 

[springbreeze]

Giannawannabe:

Thank you all for your thoughtful replies. I went to Mass yesterday and offered my sufferings in unity with Jesus’ sufferings on The Cross.
I was able to talk to a good and faithful friend who told me to remember that taking the “opportunity” to offer our sufferings to God helps us grow in His Grace. It does help to look at suffering like an “opportunity”. She reminded me that Heaven is where we want to be, and the more opportunities we pursue to give Glory to God, the more likely we will spend eternity with Our Father in Heaven. In Heaven, there is no suffering, loneliness, illness, financial problems, etc.

I’m glad that I did actually talk about my problems with someone who could lead me back to seeing things in the right way.

Dear Gianna

Your friend sounds lovely. Thank God for your friend also!

The helper always comes…

I’m so happy you have found the peace of Christ Jesus in all of this and I’ll keep you in my prayers

God Bless you and much love and peace to you and your friend

Teresa