6 Strategies for Treating Emotional and Spiritual Pain
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- Updated Mar 13, 2024
One of Jesus’ most enduring lessons was given when He said, “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33, CSB). He left His disciples with the assurance that He would continue supporting them. Through Him, they could find peace amidst adversity. However, with the assurance He offered, came the certainty that suffering was inevitable. One popular reason atheists deny God’s existence is the prevalence of suffering in the world, especially with those who are innocent. Likewise, suffering is a major cause of doubt, even among believers. We wonder if our faith is not strong enough or worse, if we suffer because God has forsaken us. There’s no doubt that suffering can be hard to bear at times. This is especially true during periods that are prolonged or particularly intense. In the moment, and potentially afterward, we are left with pain. Pain that reminds us of our sinful nature and impermanence, pain which could easily become bitterness toward the world and our God.
Whether we like it or not, we know Jesus’ words to be true. Of course, He’s Jesus, but we can see through our own testimonies that trouble has a way of finding us. Sometimes, we’re the culprit; sometimes, other people. Sometimes, our suffering is just happenstance, like in the case of a natural disaster. With suffering comes pain, and how we choose to respond to the pain determines the direction of our faith.
Every believer needs to know how to treat pain. If suffering is what we are going through, pain is what we feel as a result of the process. Pain can be temporary or it can be permanent. When we do have control over the length, how we treat the pain is the determining factor.
When we find physical pain in our bodies, we ice, we heat, we rest, and if needed, we take medicine. Procuring such alleviation for our emotional and spiritual distress is not so straightforward. A broken marriage bothers us more than a broken foot. Loneliness can be a bigger burden than a sickness.
When the pain sets in, and it will, we need a plan in place to properly handle the distress. And when the pain is enduring, our resolve must also be enduring so that we don’t succumb. However, finding that plan or that resolve is not always easy. Thankfully, God’s Word gives us direction when our perspective gets too cloudy to see.
Here are six strategies for treating pain:
1. Pray
“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.” (James 5:16)
Prayer is powerful and, as such, has the ability to bring about healing. There’s only so much we can control in life, but God’s control is infinite. When the pain sets in, we ought to ask Him for help. He can give us wisdom on what to do or alleviate the issue Himself. Also, as evidenced in Scripture, prayer is something we do not just for ourselves but for one another. We can and should pray over our relationships, our health, our work, everything. When those same areas of life bring us hurt, we will feel a sense of security knowing God is already in the mix.
2. Know Scripture
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16)
The more you know the Bible, the more you know how to handle pain. Scripture is a guide not just toward salvation, but wisdom. We learn how to pray, how to respond when in distress, how to handle conflict, and so much more. When we get blindsided by someone’s sin or an unforeseen event, the more we know how to respond, the more we can minimize the impact. However, when we’re ignorant of what to do next, that is when the pain is worse.
3. Seek Companionship
“Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
We need God to get through life, but we also need one another. He saw something missing in man before He made Eve. Whatever that was remains true of us today. Humans have an innate desire for companionship. That becomes all the more obvious during life’s tough seasons. People can help you find remedies to your pain in the form of practical advice. Sometimes, companionship itself is the remedy!
4. Reflect
“Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like someone looking at his own face in a mirror.” (James 1:23)
Self-reflection is great for building perspective. Without the right perspective, we don’t see God as bigger or in control of our circumstances. We see just the opposite. Furthermore, without reflecting, we can’t identify the source of our struggles. If your issue is with loneliness, consider why. Do you desire a spouse, or has a close relationship fallen into disarray? If you feel lost in life, is the reason because of a disconnect with God or something else? The greater our self-awareness, the better our diagnosis of the pain, and thus, the easier the treatment.
5. Rest
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
Sometimes the best policy for treating pain is to rest. Since so much of life is out of our control, we would be wise to recognize such instances and step back. Stop trying to make happen what is so clearly not happening, whether with a relationship, a job, or whatever else is bothering you. Instead, rest, connect with God, and wait for His direction. Oftentimes He is using that suffering for some greater purpose.
6. Wait
“But those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)
Imagine if the pain went away as soon as we decided to make it go, poof. That seems ideal, but honestly, our characters would be far less developed. We need pain to be more like Christ. And because that is true, you have to give yourself time to heal. Don’t rush the process. Don’t think everything will be better tomorrow. Sometimes, we have to sit in the hurt, but we never have to do so alone.
Conclusion
The pain that life and sin bring can run deep. It can even last a lifetime, but through God’s power, healing is possible. You won’t always know how to handle the difficulties that come your way. That’s natural, we’re only human. Yet, the better equipped we are today, the better we can handle tomorrow. Let pain make you better, not bitter!
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Fizkes
