Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior (Habakkuk 3:17; NIV).
No matter what befalls me, Lord,
May I rejoice in you;
And when I suffer pain or loss,
May I rejoice in you.
No matter how depressed I am,
May I rejoice in you;
And when I’m feeling anxious, Lord,
May I rejoice in you.
When I’m in death’s dark valley, Lord,
May I rejoice in you;
Then, when I reach your Kingdom, Lord, I will rejoice in you.
My soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation (Psalm 32:11; NIV).
References
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me (Psalm 23:4; KJV).
He will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever all insults and mockery against his land and people. The LORD has spoken! In that day the people will proclaim, “This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the LORD, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!” (Isaiah 25:7-9; NLT).
You have been given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in him, but also by suffering for him (Philippians 1:29; GNT).
Introduction In common with many other people, I have experienced physical, mental and spiritual suffering over the course of my life. I also live with chronic illness every day.
My response to suffering has changed considerably over the years. Thus, I slowly moved from very negative attitudes, such as fear, self-pity and depression, through resignation, to a more comfortable acceptance.
Then, after being diagnosed with breast cancer six years ago, I discovered and adopted the practice of giving thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). At the time, I didn’t realise what a key step this would be in the process of developing a more positive attitude to suffering.
More recently, just a few weeks ago, I stumbled on the idea of using my symptoms as cues which would remind me to intercede for others. This practice has already begun to give a new purpose and value to the suffering which is a daily feature of my life.
Soon afterwards, I discovered the term redemptive suffering, and realised, to my surprise and pleasure, that I am not alone on this path.
Redemptive suffering My current, very limited, understanding of redemptive suffering is that it means:
Willingly accepting and embracing uncomfortable symptoms.
Giving thanks for them.
Offering them as a sacrifice on behalf of others who are suffering.
Praying for other people who are suffering.
It will be interesting to see how this definition changes in the light of further personal experience and insight.
Christ’s life and death are the perfect example of redemptive suffering in operation. Even as he hung on the cross, Jesus was praying for his executioners: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34; NLT).
The privilege of suffering for Christ St. Paul grasped that if we are to share Christ’s glory, we must also share his suffering (Romans 8:17). This led him to the astonishing realisation that we, too, can offer our suffering on behalf of others, just as Jesus did. As he states: “You have been given the privilege of serving Christ, not only by believing in him, but also by suffering for him” (Philippians 1:29; GNT).
With self-awareness, willing acceptance and frequent practice, every adverse symptom, sensation, emotion and experience can become a sacrificial offering to God. Our suffering then functions as a series of cues, or reminders, to intercede for others.
Our prayers can be for people we know personally, those we hear or read about, and for everyone experiencing physical and mental illness, pain, privation, danger and death all around the world.
Conclusion I believe that we can grow more like Christ, and become more deeply united with him, by welcoming the suffering God sends, and using it for the good of others. Redemptive suffering is, indeed, a privilege. Furthermore, my experience is that it can bring a sense of purpose, joy and fulfilment even though my life is very limited by suffering.
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them (1 Timothy 2:1; NLT).
References
Pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17; NIV).
Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies (Hebrews 13:3; NLT).
Since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too (1 Peter 4:1; NLT).
Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, he will still be with you to teach you (Isaiah 30:20; NLT).
The Lord – who is the Spirit – makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image (2 Corinthians 3:18; NLT).
Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him (Philippians 3:8-9; NLT).
I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship (Romans 12:1; NIV).
My body is my sacrifice,
My willing spirit, too;
My mind and heart; my humble soul:
I lift them up to you.
I offer only pain, fatigue,
Depression, dread, despair;
Yet, when I plead for others, Lord,
You always hear my prayer.
Although I’m your unworthy slave,
With nothing else to give,
I know that you will ransom me
One day: then I will live!
I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death (Hosea 13:14; KJV).
References
Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak (Mark 14:38; NLT).
I lift up my hands and heart toward Your innermost sanctuary (Psalm 28:2; AMP).
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them (1 Timothy 2:1; NLT).
I love the LORD because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy (Psalm 116:1; NLT).
We are unworthy slaves (Luke 17:10; NASB1995).
Those who wait for the LORD [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power; they will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not grow tired (Isaiah 40:31; AMP).
I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death (Philippians 3:10; NLT).
Lord,
I find you in my sickness,
Grief, depression, fear and pain.
Suffering with you is freedom:
Every loss becomes a gain.
Lord, I meet you in acceptance,
Knowing that you always care.
Suffering with you: my mission:
Every sigh becomes a prayer.
Lord,
I long to serve your kingdom.
May each hardship be a cue
To intercede for all who suffer,
As I strive to follow you.
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23; NLT).
References
Verse 1: Keep on seeking, and you will find (Matthew 7:7; NLT).
The Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17; NLT).
You live under the freedom of God’s grace (Romans 6:14; NLT).
The LORD gives, and the LORD takes away. Blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1:21; CSB).
To live is Christ, and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21; ANT).
We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28; NIV).
Verse 2: Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? (Job 2:10; NLT).
I will be glad and rejoice in your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles,
and youcare about the anguish of my soul (Psalm 31:7; NLT). This has been given to you on behalf of Christ, not only so that you may believe in him, but even so that you may suffer with him (Philippians 1:29; CPDV).
Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).
Verse 3: We must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22; NLT).
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them (1 Timothy 2:1; NLT).
Just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him (Colossians 2:6; NLT).
While I was lying in my bed, this is what I dreamed (Daniel 4:10; NLT).
Lord God,
I dream of failure every night;
Of suffering, depression,
Shame, and dread.
Before, I might have
Begged you, Lord,
To take these dreams away,
But now,
I choose to welcome them,
Instead.
So, I will face these dreams, And when I wake, I’ll pray for all those
Living with defeat:
Draw near, Lord God,
Please cleanse and soothe Our wounds with oil and wine. May all who fail
Be healed, And made complete.
Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oilandwineand bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him (Luke 10:34; NLT).
May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be madecomplete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God (Ephesians 3:19; NLT).
References
All things come from God (1 Corinthians 11:12; CSB).
Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? (Job 2:10; NLT).
Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment]. (Hebrews 4:16; AMP).
He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds (Psalm 147:3; NLT).
Whatever happens to you, accept it (Sirach 2:4; NJB).
There is a big difference between accepting our suffering willingly, and resenting it angrily.
The first approach to suffering represents a genuine, personal sacrifice which brings us into loving solidarity with Jesus, and with all who suffer throughout the world. It creates empathy, joy, thankfulness and praise, no matter what we are enduring.
The second attitude to suffering tends to make us self-centred, self-pitying, depressed and bitter. This response damages the special opportunity suffering offers us to live in unity with Jesus, and with all our fellow human beings.
Personally, I choose to welcome and embrace all my suffering, however limiting, painful or uncomfortable it may be, because, as St. Paul wrote:
Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies (2 Corinthians 4:10; NLT).
With this trusting attitude, suffering becomes a gift, out of which God can bring much good. Suffering brings us into contact with others, both in person, and through our prayers. It helps us to empathise with others, and to reach out to them with Christian love, concern and care.
Love cares more for others than for self (1 Corinthians 13:3-7; TM).
References
Since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering (Romans 8:17; NLT).
Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are (1 Peter 5:9; NLT).
Jesus left them a second time and prayed, “My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done” (Matthew 26:42; NLT).
I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things (Isaiah 45:7; NLT).
The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21; CSB).
Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? (Job 2:10; NIV).
Everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen (Romans 11:36; NLT).
The LORD gives both death and life (I Samuel 2:6; NLT).
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16; NIV).
We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28; NIV).
ThosewhotrustintheLORDwill find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31; NLT).
A reading from 2 Corinthians 1:3-5; AMP.
Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts and encourages us in every trouble so that we will be able to comfort and encourage those who are in any kind of trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
For just as Christ’s sufferings are ours in abundance [as they overflow to His followers], so also our comfort [our reassurance, our encouragement, our consolation] is abundant through Christ [it is truly more than enough to endure what we must].
This prayer arrived spontaneously whilst I was saying grace before breakfast last Saturday.
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18; NIV).
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. (Psalm 16:11; NLT).
Thank you for the joy of living, Lord,
And for the tears.
Thank you for the joy of striving, Lord,
And for the fears.
Thank you for the joy of loving, Lord,
And for the pain.
Thank you for the joy of dying, Lord,
To rise again.
Those who die in the LORD will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead! (Isaiah 26:19; NLT).
Yesterday, as so often, a migraine made my constant hot sweats harder than usual to tolerate patiently. I wrote nothing in the morning, and felt depressed, lonely and isolated. Then, at about 4.30pm, to my great surprise, today’s prayer came to me. Reminding me of the only wise way forward, it brought a moment of relief, and even hope, to an otherwise unrelievedly grey day.
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted
(Psalm 25:16; NIV).
I am deeply depressed (Psalm 42:6; CSB).
1. Prince of Peace, I cannot change How lonely and depressed I feel,
2. So, instead, I turn to you,
And beg you, Lord, Hear my appeal:
3. Strengthen me To face this daily struggle, Or my heart Will break;
4. Help me to accept, Endure, And bear my cross, For your love’s sake.
Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23; NLT).
References
Verse 1: Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world (John 16:33; NLT).
Verse 2: Hear my prayer, LORD, and listen to my cry for help (Psalm 39:12; CSB).
Verse 3: My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word (Psalm 119:28; NIV).
Is not all human life a struggle? (Job 7:1; NLT).
An aching heart breaks the spirit (Proverbs 15:13; HNV).
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise (Psalm 51:17; NIV).
Verse 4: My Father! If this cup cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will be done (Matthew 26:42; NLT).
Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will (Hebrews 10:36; NLT).
Studies of a woman praying, by Ludwig Emil Grimm, Creative Commons.
Today’s blog is the first in a series of three, each of which considers the vital importance of honesty in prayer.
Honesty
The Bible makes it plain that God wants us to be completely honest in prayer, rather than trying to offer a sanitised, partial, or censored version of ourselves as we think God wants us to be:
You desire honesty from the womb (Psalm 51:6; NLT).
Personally, I find it a relief to share everything with God, including my sins, and the shadow parts of myself I would rather keep hidden, or whose existence I would prefer to ignore or deny. Although sharing all this can be painful, it is vital for my ongoing process of inner healing.
For me, prayer means living in awareness of God’s constant presence, listening, learning, and sharing with God all I experience, feel, think, say and do. This is a relationship in which self-censorship, pretence, concealment and denial are pointless, as God already knows everything about me:
Beforeaword is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely (Psalm 139:4; NIV).
O LORD, you have examined my heart and knoweverythingaboutme (Psalm 139:1; NLT).
I therefore want my communion with God to be constant, spontaneous, immediate, heartfelt, direct and raw. This requires continuous awareness of what is going on in my shadow, as well as in my more “public” face.
My shadow
Long experience has shown me that when I don’t acknowledge, and deal with, the contents of my shadow, they make their presence felt through unbidden thoughts and impulses, anxiety, dread, panic attacks, depression and bad dreams.
Paying conscious attention to these aspect of myself and exploring their underlying causes helps me to connect with them more fully. This enables me to pray about them, and take action to resolve them. For example, if I remember an unconfessed sin, I can confess it in prayer, then try to make amends by following Jesus’ teaching:
If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift (Matthew 5:23-4; NIV).
Looking ahead
Tomorrow I plan to publish the second part of this series on honest prayer. It will look at Jesus’ shadow, and how he dealt with it. Meanwhile, let’s end with a short reading:
A reading: Psalm 66:16-20; NLT
Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me. For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke. If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me.
Today’s blog is about the shadow self. This term encompasses all the aspects of ourselves we find so uncomfortable, shameful and unacceptable that we ignore, conceal, or deny them. However, it is essential to find ways of recognising and expressing these hidden aspects, so we can integrate them into a fuller understanding of ourselves (see “Owning your own shadow” by Robert A. Johnson; Harper One: 1991).
My shadow, for example, includes sin, guilt, shame, selfishness, self-pity, depression, irritability, judging, anxiety, fear, resentment, bitterness, anger, insecurity and feeling unwanted. For a long time, I have habitually taken captive my thoughts and feelings along these lines, saying sorry to God as soon as I become aware of them. I then replace them with something more loving, in accordance with Paul’s teaching (2 Corinthians 10:5; NIV). However, until very recently, I have never considered choosing to express them in any other way.
Instead, I generally keep negative feelings and thoughts concealed in my shadow. Unfortunately, this is unhealthy, as these spontaneous aspects of myself are significant aspects of my whole being.
Being honest
Over the last few weeks I’ve begun to grasp the spiritual importance of maintaining a constant awareness of what is happening in my shadow. This enables me to be more honest with myself, with God, and, potentially, with other people.
Of course, I don’t want to simply “act out” the contents of my shadow through impulsive, uncontrolled behaviour. Rather, I want to be in touch with them, so I can choose how to respond. Moreover, if I decide to express them, I want to do so as safely and constructively as possible, for the sake of both others and myself.
Such expression doesn’t necessarily mean voicing my shadow self directly, though occasionally this may be appropriate. Instead, I choose to express my shadow through dance, writing and prayer. Art, music, sports and many other activities can also provide alternative creative outlets.
It won’t go away
Staying in touch with my shadow self and finding safe ways to express it is essential, because ignoring it does not make it go away. Trying to push challenging emotions such as anger, hatred and fear out of awareness leaves them free to create havoc in the unconscious mind. This is how sudden outbursts of exasperation, temper, violence and panic can seem to strike “out of the blue”.
The Psalms
The Psalms offer a healthy example of honouring the shadow by expressing it honestly in prayer, alongside more positive aspects of the self. The writer of Psalm Three, for example, begins by praising God for helping them in the face of their enemies’ threats. The tone remains positive until verse seven, when it changes dramatically, as the author gives vent to the pent-up fear, anger and vengefulness concealed in their shadow:
“Arise, O LORD! Rescue me, my God! Slap all my enemies in the face! Shatter the teeth of the wicked!” (Psalm 3:7; NLT).
Once these negative impulses have been fully voiced, the writer is able to finish on a more positive note:
“Victory comes from you, O LORD. May you bless your people” (Psalm 3:8; NLT).
If the writer had sanitised this psalm by omitting the thoughts and emotions hidden in their shadow, it would have been incomplete. This would have made it far less helpful to both themself and their future readers.
Conclusion The raw, spontaneous truths hidden in our shadow are vital aspects of the self, treasures without which we cannot be complete. To reject them means being out of contact with essential aspects of ourselves.
Learning to integrate the contents of our shadow with our more positive thoughts and emotions is therefore vital for authentic spiritual growth and healing. As Johnson states: “These disowned parts are extremely valuable and cannot be disregarded… To honour and accept one’s shadow is a profound spiritual discipline. It is whole-making and thus holy and the most important experience of a lifetime” (Johnson; ibid, pp ix-x).
So now, after that long introduction, here is today’s prayer:
You desire honesty from the womb (Psalm 51:6; NLT).
Lord,
Thank you for my shadow –
May I face it,
Acknowledging its role
In all I do.
Thank you for my shadow –
May I own it,
So I can choose
To share it all with you.
Thank you for my shadow –
May I love it,
For you desire my honesty,
I know.
Thank you for my shadow –
I embrace it. Lord, may these secret riches
Help me grow.
I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness – secret riches (Isaiah 45:3; NLT).
