Suffering is something which we all experience. In this "valley of tears", it is unavoidable, and it is not a question of whether we will suffer, but rather as to how we can best respond to such suffering as we will inevitably face. This is something we all know. Yet at certain times in our lives, we experience even greater levels of suffering than the normal every day trials, and it is at times like these that I am so grateful to be Catholic. For the Catholic viewpoint on suffering is one that, while not making it enjoyable in itself (as suffering cannot be, by definition), nevertheless gives us hope that at least it has value, and need never be wasted. And in that, there is an inner joy that helps compensate for the struggles we have to undergo.
A few years ago, I wrote a piece on suffering. It was during a very difficult period in my life, and no doubt some of what I write here will be simply repeating what I wrote then. However, I wish to touch upon this theme again, for once more, during the past few weeks, I have been going through an inner turmoil that in many ways is equal to, and in some ways surpasses, what I underwent when I first wrote on this topic. I cannot recall ever having felt such a feeling of paralysis before, emotionally speaking. But such nevertheless has reinforced valuable lessons.
To begin with, as I stated back then in my original piece, suffering can be an expression of love. First and foremost, it can be used to show love for God, being willing to embrace any trials He allows us to experience, having faith in Him that He never allows such trials, except for our ultimate good. And by "faith", I do not mean an emotion, a "feeling" that things will turn out well. For instance, if I were to describe my "feelings" right now, perhaps they could not be described better than in the lament that opens Psalm 22 (and quoted by Christ on the cross): "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" My "feelings" lately have often been ones of hopelessness. and relying on a merely human viewpoint, I see no "light at the end of the tunnel" to give me hope.
Fortunately, however, faith is not a feeling. In the words of Chesterton, "A faith is that which is able to survive a mood". Faith is knowledge that is not reliant on how we may subjectively feel. On the contrary, it is a confidence in God that, despite what we may feel, we acknowledge His supreme goodness, and trust that whatever trials we face He is allowing for our ultimate good, even if it involves turns that we would not at first desire. (Incidentally, such faith is demonstrated in the ending of Psalm 22.) What good would it be to say we have "faith" in God, if we cannot trust Him when all seems lost? If we only trust Him when things are going well for us, but abandon Him when all seems lost, then our faith was never in Him in the first place, but only in the circumstances we found ourselves in.
But my point in this piece is not so much to discuss faith, nor even to rehash the value of our sufferings as a sacrifice we offer to God out of love for Him. I have, as I stated, discussed that in a piece which I wrote a few years ago, and I still stand by that. But I do wish to discuss a couple of added benefits of suffering that I have learned as a Catholic, and which are, even in the general darkness I find myself in, nonetheless lights that I am able to see by. However they may appear when I am feeling especially down, even then they are never completely extinguished from my sight.
The first benefit is one which, while certainly not a uniquely Catholic viewpoint, by any means, is one I have come to understand by experience in an especially deep way since becoming Catholic. It is that suffering is a powerful way to keep our eyes focused on eternity. While prosperity can present temptations to focus too much on this life, to the neglect of our spiritual condition, suffering is a great teacher to recall to our mind that "here we have no lasting city" (Heb 13:14), and that we should not put our ultimate hope in this life.
We all know this intellectually, but we do not always live it out in our daily lives. However, when we have no hope here, humanly speaking, it makes our life all the more focused on our ultimate destination, where we should place our main focus in the first place. God never promised that we would have an easy life here. Sometimes He does make things better in this life, and that is something which is quite legitimate to pray for. If He does, glory to Him for His wondrous work in our lives, and let us express our thanks.
But, on the other hand, we may go to our graves never seeing things improve from a temporal perspective. For some people, life does not get better, and it only raises false hopes (and eventually results in an even greater disappointment), if we tell them to place their hope in things improving in this life, if they simply have faith. While God may "fix things", it might instead be a part of His providence for our ultimate good to allow things to stay the same, or even to get worse. What we should focus on, and certainly what I am focusing on myself, is what God has promised us. That is to say, as the Apostle Paul wrote, "I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18). While, of course, that does not mean that we should not ask God, if it be His will, to help us even from a temporal perspective in any situation that we find ourselves in (again, something that I am personally doing), ultimately we must resign ourselves to what His will is, knowing it is for the best. In other words, our response should keep both of those truths in mind. We should pray the prayer of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. "Father, if you are willing, remove this chalice from me; nevertheless not my will, but yours, be done" (Luke 22:42)
Let us suppose, however, that it is God's will to not "remove this chalice" of suffering from us (as it appears to me to be the case personally). That brings to mind the second benefit of suffering I wish to discuss, and one which does give an immense value to it: that such suffering need never be wasted. This is something I have learned as a Catholic, and for which I am grateful. Suffering in itself, from a merely human perspective, often has no value. That is why we try to avoid it. But suffering, when united with Christ's suffering, can be transformed by Him from suffering into sacrifice. And by sacrifice, I do not mean simply sacrifice to demonstrate our love for God (again, which I discussed before), but also a sacrifice that can benefit others, fulfilling the second great commandment of love of neighbor (cf. Matt 22:39).
Paul wrote to the Colossians: "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church" (Col 1:24). Of course, Christ's sufferings "lack" nothing in and of themselves; they are of infinite value. Nevertheless, our Lord, having identified Himself with His body the Church (cf. Acts 8:4-5), of which He is the Head, continues to experience sufferings in His body. (That is the only sense in which anything is "lacking in Christ's afflictions", that is, insofar as it is still to be experienced by the members of His body). But when the members of His body experience suffering (such as Paul did), our Lord has chosen to give that suffering value insofar as it united to His own. That way our trials are never wasted. And they can benefit others as a result. (Precisely because we are all parts of the same body, as Paul so eloquently describes in 1 Corinthians 12, and united to our Head, then what we do, and what we suffer, can benefit others, for we are Christ's body, and they are therefore, in that sense, His sufferings as well. ) That is why Paul states that his sufferings are "for your sake", and that his personal sufferings are "for the sake of his body, that is, the Church". They could only derive such value from being united to Christ, but since they are so united, they therefore do have value.
So too, whenever we experience suffering, we can offer it up, both out of love for God, but also out of love for neighbor. When united to Christ, our sufferings have by His grace a value that they would not otherwise have in themselves. We can pray that He uses such sufferings for the welfare, both temporal and spiritual, of those close to us, such as family and friends, or anyone who can benefit from our offering. That is, indeed, what I have been doing especially lately, offering the suffering I have gone through in this particular manner. In that way, I realize that, however intense the suffering I am undergoing, it is not without value, and can be a sacrifice not only for God, but out of love of God for those close to me, such as friends and family, and anyone else the Lord wills to benefit from it
Of course, I still do pray that, if it is His will, that he "remove this chalice from me". But until He decides to do so (if He ever does), my sufferings are not without value. No one's sufferings need be. We can follow the example of Paul. From an earthly perspective, they may have no value, and even from a spiritual perspective, they have no value in themselves. But when united to Christ, He can transform them (all by His grace) to a valuable source of blessings for others. And in that, we can find joy.
Finally, we should always remember what our Lord has stated, so we will at all times have the consolation of His promises to help encourage us in our battles:
“In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
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