When Deep calls to Deep: Three Ways to Endure the Pain and the Perseverance
I remember it clearly. Sitting on my couch at 4:00 a.m. wondering why I still remained on this planet. My pain seemed to grow daily and the perseverance being required was beyond what I could bear. In my desperation, I cried, “God if you have a reason for me to stay, now would be a good time to let me know.” And he did. But he did not take away my pain nor the need to persevere through it. Yet God did provide what I needed for this journey, and he will do the same for you.
The Deep
Talking with precious friends yesterday, they described a pain their family is enduring that noone would subscribe to. As they recounted the painful last few days, they made a distinction, “I’m not just tired. I am weary.”
How many times have we, too, encountered pain that did not just make us tired, but weary? And weariness cannot be cured with a simple good night’s rest. It is a feeling that infiltrates us physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. The Psalmist describes this type of weariness well in Psalm 42.
Psalm 42 begins with the writers’ (sons of Korah) reflection of their connection to God. They thirst and long for God, yet they convey how “My soul is downcast within me” (vs.6). The writers’ intense longing for God’s presence amid times of hopelessness and an overwhelming sense of being forsaken is revealed and fully apparent in verse 7.
The writer states, “Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me” (vs. 7). The Contemporary English Version states, “Your vicious waves have swept over me like an angry ocean or a roaring waterfall.” And the Psalmist is not done. He continues, “Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy…saying to me ‘Where is your God?’” (Vs.9-10). These words conjure an image for me that no matter where I turn, I feel like any moment I may drown. However, drowning is not an option. Perseverance is the only answer. But not perseverance in our own strength.
The Psalmist reveals the necessity of perseverance as he conveys in his deep pain to God, “The Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me-a prayer to the God of my life” as well as directs us to “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (vs. 8,11). Even though the Psalmist is facing unsurmountable pain, a weariness felt in the bones, he knows that the only way to overcome his “downcast” and “disturbed” soul is to persevere through pain. How can we do this though? Here are some steps that can help lead you through the enduring the pain and the perseverance.
Enduring the Pain and the Perseverance
1) Acknowledge the pain
Pretending everything is okay is just that…pretending. Eventually the façade breaks and our reality will make itself known. While pain is not something we want to feel, we cannot heal what we will not feel. Allowing ourselves to feel the pain will allow us to move through the deep waters so that when it is our time to stand on dry land again, we can.
However, if we choose not to acknowledge the pain, we prolong our pain. Our bodies, minds and hearts are story tellers. If we do not allow ourselves to experience our reality, our bodies, minds, and hearts will force us to and usually at the most inopportune times. However, when we give space for our pain, we give space for our pain to be released and honored.
Additionally, acknowledging the pain does not negate the power of our God. We may have been taught or come to believe that stating our pain is denying the power and might of God. That is not truth. We can hold two truths: I am suffering, AND God is with me in it. Sometimes we may feel, though, that God is not with us. And that is okay to express too. God can handle our hurt.
2) Surrendering the Pain
In times of surrendering my pain, I have felt helpless and hopeless. Like the Psalmist, I wondered where God was and why he was not delivering me. I felt like I had been through enough! Why was I facing another tsunami of the soul when I could barely keep my head above water where I was? Yet, I was still called to surrender.
Psalm 46:10 calls us to “Be still and know that I am God.” Moreover, Exodus 14:14 God instructs, “I will fight for you. You need only be still.” Sometimes surrender is in being still and letting God be known. We may, however, be called to fight at times, but in whose strength? Once again, surrendering of our own will and strength is requested.
And all of this may go against our fleshly nature. Our flesh wants to fight, to survive, to render vengeance as necessary. Yet, God has reminded us, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). In our own strength we are limited; however, in Christ we find a strength to surrender to his will, to his rest, to his call. Surrender is no easy feat, but a necessary one.
3) Enduring the Perseverance
Pain is hard and so is persevering. Scripture is full of imagery conveying the hardship of persevering. Perseverance is called for throughout scripture to protect love, truth, faith, and hope (1 Cor. 13:7; 1 Timothy 4:16; Hebrews 10:36; James 1:12, 5:11). All of these have required an endurance of pain and perseverance. But for what purpose: for the sake of Christ.
Perseverance, no matter when it is called for, is for the sake of Christ. It does not mean that we will not face our humanity as we persevere. We may be tired, angry, hurt, lonely, scared, overwhelmed, and ________ (you fill in the blank) as we face the journey of perseverance. As we experience these moments, this does not mean that we are “sinning” or doing something wrong. Additionally, it does not mean that we do not believe in God’s power. It simply means we are human. Remember, in our weakness, his power is often seen.
But why must we persevere? Why do we even suffer? Why must we endure pain or the perseverance? The best answer is: I have no idea. I cannot fully grasp any reason for some of our painful journeys. And, reality is, even if we had the “why,” we might not be satisfied with the answer. However, whether we understand or not, we can trust that his ways are higher than ours. We can trust that God is in the fires, deepness, lions’ dens, and battles with us. He is near to the broken hearted and provides rest for the weary (Psalm 34:18, Matthew 11:28). He is Emmanual, “God with us.”
Final Thoughts
It is not easy to run into the arms of the one we may feel has abandoned us. We cry out from the darkest recesses of our soul to the very one we may believe has shattered our soul. In our anguish to take the next breath, the next step, we feel every ounce of our pain and perseverance. Yet as we acknowledge and surrender our pain, we find strength to endure the perseverance so that we may declare as the Psalmist declares, “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:11).
Challenge:
1) You may be in the depths of your pain right now. You have cried out until your voice is raw. And, yet, it feels like there is still no help or hope. Please know that you are being prayed for. Even if you cannot pray anymore, someone is interceeding on your behalf.
2) Whereever you are on your journey, share it with someone: a friend, a loved one, a trusted professional. You do not have to bear it alone.
3) If you have walked a journey of pain, how did you persever? How did God show you he was with you? How does he do so today?