My Little Way

“It’s true, I suffer a great deal–but do I suffer well? That is the question.”- St. Therese of Lisieux

Can you suffer well? When I first read this quote, my mind immediately reminded me how literally 5 minutes ago, I was complaining to my mom about how I wasn’t feeling good. I always hear people say things like you should “offer it up” when it comes to suffering, but I never know what they mean. It sounds awesome, I can offer up my suffering to God just like how he offered his suffering up for us, but how? This question led me to reading about what the Church calls “redemptive suffering.” I had to do ALOT of research on this because I had no idea what that meant. St. Paul told the Corinthians that, “indeed, as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so, through Christ, does our consolation overflow. When we are made to suffer, it is for our consolation and salvation” (2 Cor. 1:5, 6). The Church says redemptive suffering is how one person experiences suffering in order to bring salvation to someone else. “Those who are chosen to bear a greater portion of suffering than others are called by God to heal the souls of many whose lives are bereft of the knowledge and love of God.” (Catholic Exchange).

I interpreted this as when one person suffers, it’s in their suffering that others are redeemed. That. Is. So. Cool. Not the suffering part physically, but the fact that even though we have to suffer, it’s for a greater good. “Like Jesus, their sufferings, united to His, rise to Heaven and obtain grace and repentance for those who are straying from God and His Love” (Catholic Exchange). This helped me put my everyday suffering into a greater perspective. If anyone knew suffering, it was St. Therese. She suffered loss, illness, depression, and more, and she was a boss at offering it up. When she was dying of tuberculosis, she believed that when you add your own suffering plus the suffering of Jesus, the whole world could be transformed. All of those times we are having a hard time, we’re saving the world just like Jesus did in his suffering. I have to admit, I find it really hard to try to make the best of things when I don’t feel good or when I have to get tests done. I’ve been so frustrated and depressed about my long journey with all of my stomach problems, especially with a misdiagnosis. Sometimes I feel like I just want to die and I can’t handle it anymore, but that would be I would be taking away that salvation from someone who needs it. Not trying to deny Heaven for someone. When the doctors say a new treatment or medicine will help, and it doesn’t, I get really discouraged and hopeless. Reading all about redemptive suffering has helped me have a new attitude on my everyday pain and the little trials I may have each day. So basically, the main takeaway for me is that suffering isn’t just something we have to endure. It’s something that we can see as a thing that’s greater than ourselves. Even though I am little, God sees my little trials and pains as something as big as salvation of the world.