A Prayer for Transforming Pain into Purpose: Giving Our Suffering to God as an Offering

Do you know that you can offer the pain of your struggles, disappointments, sacrifices and challenges to God as an offering? On this episode, faith and science align to show us that our pain is never wasted when we offer it to God. With scripture backed by research, we learn how that the offering of our pain can lead to profound healing and spiritual growth. If you have ever had to experience a heartache or disappointment, or sacrifice in pain, this episode is for you!

Key scriptures: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Romans 8:28 and Romans 5:3-4

Nuggets of wisdom in this episode

Surrendering pain to God deepens spiritual growth and leads to comfort and healing

Insights from neuroscience and psychology on the power of prayer to change brain function and promote growth after adversity (post-traumatic growth)

A guided prayer to help you give the pain of your struggles to God as an offering

References in this episode

Prayers for courage to avoid failures of kindness

Hematohidrosis – A Rare Clinical Phenomenon

Luke 22:42

The Mental Health Benefits of Religion & Spirituality

Cognitive Reframing: How It Works, What It Helps, and More

Transform Your Brain in Twelve Minutes

How Prayer and Meditation Changes Your Brain

The Role of Salah (Prayer) in Promoting Emotional Regulation

I Give You My Heart - Hillsong Worship

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Music Credit: https://indiefy.me/wanted-carter

Transcript

Welcome to this episode of ‘Messy Can’t Stop Her’, I am your host Judith Kambia Obatusa - JKO. Last week, we explored how prayer can give us the Courage to Overcome Failures of Kindness. Courage in those situations where we have to take the risk to be kind to others. Continuing our series on praying over ourselves with God's word, today, we will be discussing a topic that can be both challenging and incredibly liberating: giving our pain and discomfort as an offering to God. 

Before we dive into the spiritual aspect of this topic, let's take a moment to acknowledge the reality of our lives. Pain and discomfort are unavoidable parts of our human experience. Whether it’s physical, emotional, or spiritual, we all face moments that challenge our faith and resilience. We've all felt the sting of loss, the ache of loneliness, the pain of a hard sacrifice or the weight of disappointment. But what if we could transform these moments into offerings to God? Today, using scripture and insights from scientific research, we’ll explore how we can do just that, and then we will pray together for the strength to give our difficulties to God as an offering. As always, these prayers are for you to use when faced with similar situations.

When faced with the pain of struggles, challenges and sacrifices, our natural instinct is often to avoid it, deny it, or wallow in self-pity. But these responses can hinder our healing and spiritual growth. Instead, what if we could approach pain and discomfort with a different perspective?

The Bible is filled with stories of individuals who offered their pain and suffering to God. One of the most powerful examples is Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. In such a depth of agony that he was sweating blood, he prayed, 'Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.'

According to scientists, this rare clinical phenomenon called hematohidrosis, mostly occurs when a person is experiencing excessive mental stress.

So, despite his anguish, Jesus gave his suffering back to God instead of blaming him for not saving him from the situation he was in. This does not mean that we are powerless, it just means that we have wisely chosen to give the power to one who is more powerful than us. It also means that even in our darkest moments, it's possible to offer our pain to God and find strength and peace."

Offering our pain to God can have a profound transformative effect on our lives. It can lead to surrender and trust, deepening our relationship with God, spiritual growth, and healing. When we surrender our pain to God, we acknowledge His sovereignty, and we express our trust in His plan.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says: ‘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.’ This passage reminds us that God is the ultimate source of comfort. He doesn’t just take away our pain; He uses it to equip us to help others.

When we offer our pain and discomfort to God, we’re not just asking Him to remove it. We’re inviting Him to use it for His glory. This can be a difficult concept to grasp, especially when we’re in the midst of suffering. But let’s look at another scripture, Romans 8:28: ‘And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.’ This verse reassures us that God can bring good out of even the most painful situations.

I want to share a personal story about a time when I experienced deep pain and how offering it to God transformed my perspective. [Share a brief, personal story that illustrates the theme.] Through this experience, I learned that surrendering my pain to God didn’t mean it disappeared, but it did mean that I wasn’t carrying it alone.

Now, let’s integrate some scientific insights that support this practice. Research has shown that prayer and meditation can significantly reduce stress and anxiety. A study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that individuals who engage in regular prayer or meditation experience lower levels of stress and improved emotional well-being. This aligns with the idea of offering our pain to God, as it involves a form of meditative practice that can bring peace and comfort.

Additionally, cognitive reframing is a psychological technique that involves changing the way we perceive and respond to stressful situations. By viewing our pain as an offering to God, we are essentially reframing our experience. This means we shift our perspective from seeing pain as a purely negative experience to viewing it as an opportunity for growth and deeper connection with God. Studies have shown that cognitive reframing can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Offering our pain and discomfort to God is not about denying our feelings or pretending that everything is okay. It's about acknowledging our pain and surrendering it to the One who loves us most. By doing so, we can experience the transformative power of His grace and find peace in the midst of suffering.

The emerging field of neurotheology explores how regular spiritual practices, like prayer and meditation, affect cognitive and neural functions and increase activity in brain regions associated with emotional regulation. According to neuroscience research, spiritual practices, including prayer, can lead to changes in brain structure and function. These changes, known as neuroplasticity, can enhance our ability to cope with stress and pain. 

We know from Scripture that God transforms our pain. Romans 5:3-4 says, 'Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.'

Science refers to this as 'post-traumatic growth'—the idea that people can grow stronger and develop deeper meaning in life after facing adversity. The Bible shows us that God doesn’t waste our pain, and science backs that up too. Our suffering can become the source of our greatest strength and empathy.

Whether through prayer or surrender, God—and even science—assures us that pain can become a path to growth. Now, let’s move into a time of prayer. If you’re able, find a quiet place where you can focus and join me in this prayer.

Father, we come to You today with our pain and discomfort, acknowledging that we can’t carry it on our own. We acknowledge that these feelings are real and valid, but we also recognize that You are greater than our pain. Lord, we offer our suffering to You as an act of worship. Use it for Your glory and for the good of others. Help us to trust in Your plan, even when we don’t understand it. Fill us with Your peace that surpasses all understanding and remind us that we are never alone. We ask for Your strength, peace, and comfort to sustain us, knowing that You are working all things for our good. We thank You in advance for what You are doing in our lives, even through this pain. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

As we close off, I encourage you to continue this practice of offering your pain to God. He is with you in every moment, and He can use your struggles to bring about something beautiful. If this episode has blessed you, share it with someone who might need to hear it today. Remember, your pain is not wasted when you offer it to God. When you do this, ‘Messy Won’t Stop You.’ 

Thank you so much for listening, see you next time.