Feeling God in Pain: A 7-Day Devotional on Seeing God's Work in the Midst of Suffering

By Madison Jones McAleese

As humans, when we experience pain, we search for answers. And as Christians, we often ask ourselves where God is in the midst of our suffering. This devotional seeks to answer that question by delving deeper into the Christian faith to discover God's presence in our everyday lives and how God shows up for us through His creation, often in the form

• Language: English
• Publisher: Madison McAleese
• Release date: Sep 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781087898735

Madison Jones McAleese

Madison Jones McAleese is passionate about Jesus, politics, and community building. A nonprofit strategist by day, she enjoys working with mission-driven organizations seeking to make the world a better place. Madison has a Master's Degree in Public Diplomacy and is actively pursuing her second Master's Degree in Christian Studies. She is also a small group leader and active volunteer at her church. Madison lives with her husband Nathan, a theology teacher, and dog Bubbles in Los Angeles.

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Introduction

But she came and worshipped him saying, 'Lord, help me.'

-Matthew 15:25

Praying 'help' means that we ask that Something give us the courage to stop in our tracks, right where we are, and turn our fixation away from the Gordian knot of our problems. We stop the toxic peering and instead turn our eyes to something else: to our feet on the sidewalk, to the middle distance, to the hills, whence our help comes – someplace else, anything else. Maybe this is a shift of only eight degrees, but it can be a miracle.

-Anne Lammott , Help, Thanks, Wow

Help. What a simple word which holds such meaning. We’ve spoken or thought this word before. We’ve all sought help for some affliction - whether it’s loss, stress, anxiety, depression, illness, disability, nerves, or confusion. Every single human being has had the thought, 'Help me.' This prayer of desperation comes from our deep places, our hurting places.

My pastor reminded the congregation recently that no one is exempt from this despair, for even Paul prayed in desperation for help.

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. (2 Cor 12:7)

Desperation is actually a common theme throughout scripture. David cries out to God in Psalm 6, O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled.

Jeremiah is troubled by his own persecution for speaking of the Lord, Woe is me, my mother, that you have borne me, a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth!

My point in highlighting these biblical characters is simply to start this devotional with an understanding that you are not alone. The troubles you’re facing and the despair you’re enduring is all part of our fallen world. The prophets were in pain, and so are you. We all feel pain.

For me, my desperation began last year during an attack of severe anxiety, panic, and depression. I’ve struggled with anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder for 20 years, but through therapy, and sometimes medication, it was very manageable. But last year, something happened. My body short-circuited. I developed severe panic and hyperventilated constantly. I could barely function, let alone do things I had done