I’m afraid to suffer maybe I don’t trust God enough? It sounds like a trust issue. I am so very weak with mental illness and multiple addictions but it says in Gods word His power is made perfect in weakness…. I wish I didn’t keep screwing up.
I’m afraid to suffer
- Thread starter Rainstorm
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Hi @Rainstorm,
Please know that you definitely aren't alone.
I think every believer feels this way at some point -- I know I do.
I went through a troubling time earlier in the year -- the past few weeks have been almost eerily silent in comparison. And it scares me. I often tell God, "I keep feeling like I'm waiting for and endless line of shoes to drop."
In other words, things have been almost too quiet. I'm afraid of something bad happening -- and I'm afraid of suffering just like you.
I also feel like I keep messing things up, and on a daily basis. I always feel like I'm not doing enough.
I know this is where faith comes into play -- we know we fail, and we know we often don't handle things in the way God wants us to.
But God is faithful; He sustains us; He promises to never leave us; and He understands our weakness:
Hebrews 4:15 -- For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who is tempted in every way, just as we are, but he did not sin.
Jesus didn't sin, but He knows what we go through, and God forgives us when we confess our sins to Him.
Do you have a church or other Christians around you to study or pray with? I know it's cliche but I'm trying to get more involved in church, and am working on sticking to my Bible reading/prayer time more regularly.
Is there something in particular you'd like us to pray about for you?
Please let us know, and I hope you'll keep hang out here with us.
That is understandable.
I would prefer not to suffer too. I would not call myself afraid of it, but I certainly am not in any hurry to suffer.
There is no requirement to suffer to be saved, that I know of, although if you ask in the BDF you might find someone.
what I would say is that this is the kind weakness on your part the verse refers to, and the only way it will be vanquished is that if God deems it necesarry for you, you will suffer, but God will be there for you. It is normal to be afraid to suffer.
(also, how to spell neccesary?)
"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:29-30
Whatever your burdens or trials, the Lord can make them lighter.
No one wants to suffer; there's something unhealthy about wanting to suffer. Jesus showed us the way to cope with suffering, and there are plenty of places in the new testament that say as followers of Christ we will suffer. We're also told a lot not to fear in the Bible.
But there are some things you can do to get to a healthier place and build the faith and resilience to cope when the inevitable suffering comes. Worst thing for your mental health is doomscrolling especially the short 1 min video type, so block those apps and put an app on your phone to limit your screen time. Replace the negative with some worship music or bible reading / listening or whatever will help you focus on God and his promises. Set a goal and pursue it to get the rush of the feeling of accomplishment. If you're the kind of person who thrives with a routine set a routine. Take one day at a time and when several days try to gang up on you at once reach out to a friend at church (or cc) to talk and be encouraged.
If you want to grow closer to God, organize your life so you're hitting lots of positive peer pressure to keep you close to God and very little that will tempt you away from him.
And above all remember God wants you to succeed so much that he's there to help you do what he asks. You're not doing it alone.
Curious what kind of suffering we're talking about here. Physical pain?
Oh maaan! Isn't that 2 Corinthians 12:9?
I really need that verse too right now.
That was my life verse as a kid. Then I realized that was just one chapter of life and more to come that were good too!
Here's something that might cheer you up tonight. They made me laugh after a rough month and more to come.
I just found this. I think these guys were either stitched back together after knarley car accidents or had rough lives.
However, they were all winners!
I trust God, I just don't trust strangers, especially when my property is at stake.
what do you mean... are you suffering now? Or in the future. Have you never suffered before?
Talk to Jesus, he suffered the most excruciating pain. Ever been crucified?
Hi, Rainstorm.
Just know that nobody wants to suffer. You don't want to suffer. I don't want to suffer. Nobody wants to suffer. You sound entirely normal to me in that sense.
I mean, Jesus was the only perfect person to ever live as a human being, wasn't He? And, while praying in the garden before His crucifixion, we see that even He didn't want to suffer.
You wanting to avoid suffering does not mean you don't "trust God enough." It means you're a normal human being.
I don't know anything about these other problems that you're struggling with. But no, you, wanting to avoid suffering does not mean you have some sort of "trust issue."
This is a verse that got me through some very difficult times.
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial that has come upon you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory.
(1 Peter 4:12-13)
And a short story:
A woman who was suffering greatly was visited by Jesus and she told him that her cross was just too heavy to bear. So Jesus took her into this room where there were many crosses of all different sizes and told her to go ahead and pick one that she liked. She tried several but they were all too heavy or too big or just didn't feel right. Then alas she found a cross that seemed to fit her perfectly. She was so glad to have found one that fit her so well. She happily showed it to Jesus and said, "I want THIS ONE!" And Jesus smiled at her and said, it's very interesting that you chose that one because that cross is yours.
