The Problem of Pain

[Frbrendan]

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain illness characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pain and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue, and sleep disturbances. The most common sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders, pelvic girdle, and hands, but any body part can be affected. Fibromyalgia patients experience a range of symptoms of varying intensities that wax and wane over time. About 2% of the population of America suffers from fibromyalgia. I am one of them.

I know that this is not “judgement” from God for a sinful past. After all, all have sinned, and all fall short of the glory of God. If all are sinners, then all would be similarly “judged.” But I also know that Jesus took all the judgements upon Himself when He took up His Cross.

I also know that the Lord has asked us to pick up our own crosses, and follow Him. I am trying to do that. However, I am in constant pain every day. Some days are better than others, and some of the time, I can just go about my business. But there are other days, like today, when I wake up with a pain level of 8.5 (out of 10), and all I can do is take my medication, and go back to bed and cry.

I am trying to “offer up” my pain to the Lord, but I really do question that. My pain cannot make up for one of my sins, and I know that. Nor can my pain “help” another on this earth–I don’t know about Purgatory, but that is a different matter.

I know that my pain–and the way I handle it–affects me, and may be something that God can use to get me to pay attention to Him, and cooperate with Him. However, I am not sure that this is what is meant by “offering it up” to God. Is the pain only to affect my own struggle toward salvation, or can God use it, somehow, in some mystical may, to help others toward salvation as well?

Thank you for helping this sinner. Please pray for me.

 

[baltobetsy]

I have a period of terrible pain for about an hour every day. It’s so intense that all I can do is rock back and forth and wait for it to lighten and pray. This variation on the Fatima prayer is what I pray:Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, and lead all souls to heaven, especially X, Y, and everyone else I have harmed spiritually.
I believe that my pain can help those in purgatory and those on earth. I have been taught from my earliest years to offer things up for the people I love and care for.

Following the logic that everything that happens is at least permitted by the perfect will of God, I assume there is a use for my suffering, and that I should be thankful for it. I have become very aware of the mistakes and sins of my past that have harmed people, and I am grateful for the opportunity to offer my pain for those I have harmed.

That said, sometimes it’s just too much, and I just cry out, Jesus, I THOUGHT YOU PAID!!!

God bless and strengthen you.

Betsy

 

[Linda_Marie]

In offering up our pain, we join it to the sufferings of Christ during His Passion and in this way help to carry the Cross, just as Simon the Cyrene was enlisted, drafted actually, into carrying the cross for Him. God allowed a human person, Simon, to help Him carry the sins of the world. In this way, he opened the door for us to help in the same way.

We are called to imitate Christ. Christ suffered. All the time, he was carrying us in His heart, loving us, loving even those who were crucifying him. When God blesses us with suffering, we should then rejoice, because he has given us the means to suffer with Him.

Col 1:24 “I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church.”

Romans 8:15-17 “For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with your spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ - if, in fact, we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”

Romans 5:3 “And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

Phil 1:29 “For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well - since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.”
(NRSV)

I still have problems putting this into words but I also had this difficulty in seeing how my human suffering could have any benefit for anyone anywhere. So I just prayed, “Lord, I don’t know or understand how this works, but it is the tradition of the Church and written in the bible. You allowed Simon to help you. I offer now my suffering to be used as You see fit, for the salvation of souls.” I have to repeat this a lot. Sometimes, I understand and it is clear as daylight then the clouds come over and my understanding is obscured. I still offer it anyway, even when I don’t understand, and I offer my lack of understanding along with my pain. I always fall back on “Jesus, I Trust In You.” When my pain gets really bad, I thank God and praise Him and bless Him for having granted this to me, for allowing me to suffer in love for others.

When I first saw the title of this thread, I thought it might be a discussion on the book, “The Problem of Pain” by C S Lewis. I got this book to try to help me deal with my father’s death from an extremely virulent form of lung cancer. He was diagnosed in July 1989 and died in mid-September and was in excruciating pain the whole time. I have an easier time dealing with my own pain than with the pain of loved ones. You might find this book to be of some help.

 

[Newbie2]

Yes, “offering up” is a difficult concept to put into plain words.

My way of looking at “offering up” is twofold:

1. “Here I am, Lord. Me and my pain. You take “us” and do
   with us as you will.”
2. “Here it is, Lord. I don’t like it and wish you would take it
   away. But if that’s not your will, help me to cope with it,
   and use it for your Glory”

Something like that. It isn’t that good of an explanation, but sort of how I think of it.

Nobody who has gone through chronic pain knows what it’s like, and we’ll pray for you for relief.

 

[puzzleannie]

I don’t know the answer, wish I did, all I can share is that during bouts of chronic pain from a boring list of disorders I have learned that I am always, without exception, called to prayer during those times when I am unable to do anything else, and I sometimes wonder if my only really efficacious prayer is that done under the influence of pain and disability, because it is the only time when I let go of the reins.

 

[MarieVeronica]

Nor can my pain “help” another on this earth–

However, I am not sure that this is what is meant by “offering it up” to God. Is the pain only to affect my own struggle toward salvation, or can God use it, somehow, in some mystical may, to help others toward salvation as well?

Thank you for helping this sinner. Please pray for me.

Perhaps the words of our late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II will help… (excerpt taken from the book “The Private Prayers of Pope John Paul II”).

"There are frequent references in the Gospels to Our Lord’s special love for the sick and all who suffer. Jesus loved those who suffered, and this attitude was transferred to His Church. To love the sick is something the Church learned from Christ.

I have come to give testimony of Christ’s love for you, and to tell you that the Church and the Pope love you, too. They are filled with respect and esteem for you. I assure you that you have a truly special mission in the Church.

With His suffering and His death, Jesus took on all human suffering, giving it a new significance. Indeed, He calls every sick person, every person who suffers, to collaborate with Him in the salvation of the world. Thus, we do not bear our pain and suffering alone, or in vain. Although it can be difficult to understand suffering, Jesus explained that its value is linked to His own suffering, His own sacrifice. In other words, with your suffering you are helping Jesus in His work of salvation.

Your call to suffering requires patience and a strong faith. Yes, this means that you are called to love with a special intensity. But remember that the Blessed Mother of God is with you, just as she was with Jesus at the foot of the Cross. And she will never abandon you." Ireland, September 30, 1979

Pope John Paul II was certainly able to understand the value of suffering (being afflicted with Parkinson’s Disease, in his last years), as he helped to teach it to us. These words have helped me, tremendously. I hope they will help you, as well. You are in my prayers. God bless.

This link from a similar thread, might also be of help to you.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=226718

 

[Eilish_Maura]

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain illness characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pain and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue, and sleep disturbances. The most common sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders, pelvic girdle, and hands, but any body part can be affected. Fibromyalgia patients experience a range of symptoms of varying intensities that wax and wane over time. About 2% of the population of America suffers from fibromyalgia. I am one of them.

I know that this is not “judgement” from God for a sinful past. After all, all have sinned, and all fall short of the glory of God. If all are sinners, then all would be similarly “judged.” But I also know that Jesus took all the judgements upon Himself when He took up His Cross.

I also know that the Lord has asked us to pick up our own crosses, and follow Him. I am trying to do that. However, I am in constant pain every day. Some days are better than others, and some of the time, I can just go about my business. But there are other days, like today, when I wake up with a pain level of 8.5 (out of 10), and all I can do is take my medication, and go back to bed and cry.

I am trying to “offer up” my pain to the Lord, but I really do question that. My pain cannot make up for one of my sins, and I know that. Nor can my pain “help” another on this earth–I don’t know about Purgatory, but that is a different matter.

I know that my pain–and the way I handle it–affects me, and may be something that God can use to get me to pay attention to Him, and cooperate with Him. However, I am not sure that this is what is meant by “offering it up” to God. Is the pain only to affect my own struggle toward salvation, or can God use it, somehow, in some mystical may, to help others toward salvation as well?

Thank you for helping this sinner. Please pray for me.

Consider using meditation as a way to cope with the pain.

There is a good book called Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat Zinn that has helped me for a number of years now.

I also have FMS (and Multiple Sclerosis, herniations in my spine, Chronic Fatigue/Chronic Pain which may be its own separate problem, and now adult onset asthma).

In meditation I learned to more fully turn it all over to God - basically threw it down at his feet and challenged Jesus’ words about the yoke being easy and the burden light.

The pain is not gone but in a way it is not there as often and I stopped struggling for the ‘words’ - which is why I think meditation worked so well.

I started also using music like those chant cd’s that were so popular and some things from Taize as a conduit to the meditation state.

Good luck - feel free to PM if you want.