Suffering

[seanom]

Hi I’m really motivated to become holy and i heard that the key to sanctification is through suffering, should i pray for physical pain?, i mean whenever i hurt myself, i love physical pain - it’s addictive. So any advice please?

 

[karebear92]

Hi I’m really motivated to become holy and i heard that the key to sanctification is through suffering, should i pray for physical pain?, i mean whenever i hurt myself, i love physical pain - it’s addictive. So any advice please?

Well, I don’t think you should pray for pain and suffering, but, rather, embrace it when you are confronted with it. I know some saints, such as Saint Rita of Cascia, have prayed for suffering and have received it, but if you feel that it is addictive, then I don’t know if it is such a great idea.

Physical pain is not something you should enjoy, though. We feel pain for a reason. That is just my opinion on the matter.

 

[TiggerS]

It may be how you have worded your post and I have misread it, but I dont think it is psychologically healthy to enjoy pain and if a person does enjoy it, then to seek a psychologist or psychiatrist. It is a different matter if some suffering comes along in the course of life and one bears it as best one is able and with love of The Cross and God’s Permissive Will.

The Cross or suffering is the road to holiness it can be said simply because life is full of suffering of all kinds. It is unavoidable in life and it will be our attitude and perspective to suffering and our resultant behaviour that will determine virtue or lack of it. Jesus has elevated unavoidable human suffering to potentially redemptive united to Him. But if one enjoys suffering, then is suffering really suffering? Undoubtedly we have holy saints on our calendar who have loved to bear The Cross. or suffering, because it is The Cross and have longed, even longed ardently, to suffer in order to be united with the Sufferings of Jesus - but this does not mean that they enjoyed suffering per se, which is quite another matter and not psychologically healthy rather possibly a pathological state.

To find joy in The Cross, is not to find joy in suffering per se except that it is a spiritually joyful matter to share in the redemptive Sufferings of Jesus.

The Cross or the suffering that spiritual writers write about is more the acceptance of those unpleasant/pain causing matters that occur in our lives outside our own choices and decisions. They may be small matters, they may be great matters - and the humble acceptance of what we cannot change for the Love of God united to the Sufferings and Death of Jesus - and bearing our lot as best we are able prayerfully. Anything tending to extreme or unusual suffering we inflict on ourselves should never be undertaken without spiritual direction. The spiritual director will discern whether our motivation is sound or unhealthy and either give permission to go ahead, or withhold such permission.

…and my take on things - TS

 

[eegardner]

Hi I’m really motivated to become holy and i heard that the key to sanctification is through suffering, should i pray for physical pain?, i mean whenever i hurt myself, i love physical pain - it’s addictive. So any advice please?

I believe you may be referring to what is called Redemptive Suffering. Where you join your pain with Christ’s pain on the Cross and offer that for someone else. For instance you could offer you pain to God for the healing of someone that is sick or injured or for the souls in Purgatory, etc…

As an Army veteran injured in the service of my country, I have not had a pain-free day in 21 years. I find myself praying for God to take my pain, but then I sometimes feel bad and selfish when I do that because as terrible and constant as my pain is, there are others that are suffering worse than I am. And of course, my suffering can not come close to Christ’s suffering.

That being said, if you want this pain because you “love physical pain”, it is not suffering. And I do not think praying for pain is a good idea because, again if you enjoy the pain it may be a selfish prayer for something that pleases you.

God bless you on your quest to be holy!

 

[JohnMPhilomena]

It may be useful to read what the saints had to say about suffering.

Here’s the thread:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=542373

 

[Pitcharan]

Hi I’m really motivated to become holy and i heard that the key to sanctification is through suffering, should i pray for physical pain?, i mean whenever i hurt myself, i love physical pain - it’s addictive. So any advice please?

I share my views and hope there is no error. It is safer to simply endure the sufferings that come your way without complaining, rather than seeking it. When it becomes unbearable there is no harm in praying to God for repreive. Seek His will in everything be it suffering or joy. Become neither overwhelmed by adversity nor overjoyed by comforts.

A word of caution: to love physical pain to the extent of getting addicted, is sinful pleasure. Please consult your parish priest without delay

 

[puzzleannie]

Hi I’m really motivated to become holy and i heard that the key to sanctification is through suffering, should i pray for physical pain?, i mean whenever i hurt myself, i love physical pain - it’s addictive. So any advice please?

get psychological help

 

[Edward_H]

Hi I’m really motivated to become holy and i heard that the key to sanctification is through suffering, should i pray for physical pain?, i mean whenever i hurt myself, i love physical pain - it’s addictive. So any advice please?

The key to sanctification is unity with God…holiness, oneness with God.

God may allow suffering to occur in our lives for many reasons. There’s enough suffering that occurs naturally that we should learn how to “convert” that suffering into prayer, offerings to God, without setting out to suffer.

Smile more, take the stairs with a smile and an offering, tackle assignments with more vigor, work a bit longer, be a bit more cheerful than you want to; when you get ill, don’t let everyone know it. Develop a spirit of sacrifice, a sporting spirit about things.

When faced with suffering…convert it - with God’s grace into a prayer or an offering to God or for others.

If we tend to put our comfort in between us and God…then the Church - under the direction of a spiritual director, may recommend little fasts or other little sacrifices in order to detach from one’s love of comfort.

But I think most people would recommend using the material that God gives us throughout the day as means to grow in holiness, and ever more constant prayer with God, our Father.

 

[TiggerS]

The key to sanctification is unity with God…holiness, oneness with God.

God may allow suffering to occur in our lives for many reasons. There’s enough suffering that occurs naturally that we should learn how to “convert” that suffering into prayer, offerings to God, without setting out to suffer.

Smile more, take the stairs with a smile and an offering, tackle assignments with more vigor, work a bit longer, be a bit more cheerful than you want to; when you get ill, don’t let everyone know it. Develop a spirit of sacrifice, a sporting spirit about things.

When faced with suffering…convert it - with God’s grace into a prayer or an offering to God or for others.

If we tend to put our comfort in between us and God…then the Church - under the direction of a spiritual director, may recommend little fasts or other little sacrifices in order to detach from one’s love of comfort.

But I think most people would recommend using the material that God gives us throughout the day as means to grow in holiness, and ever more constant prayer with God, our Father.

Really good post!

 

[fred_conty]

Hi I’m really motivated to become holy and i heard that the key to sanctification is through suffering, should i pray for physical pain?, i mean whenever i hurt myself, i love physical pain - it’s addictive. So any advice please?

Hi,
Suffering, joys, and everything we do and comes our way is good if we
do them for love of God. Indulging in them for themselves alone is empty.
Is it what we have or how we have it?