A Prayer for Those Suffering from Chronic Pain
By Vivian Bricker
Bible Verse:
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” - Psalm 73:26
Listen or Read Below:
Ever since I was diagnosed with an autoimmune illness, I have suffered from chronic pain. Suffering from chronic pain is extremely difficult, both mentally and physically. And it affects me mentally, leading to worse anxiety, depression, and obsessive thoughts. Whenever my physical pain gets worse, my mental struggles are all the more apparent. The depression and anxiety urge me to give up and stop trying.
If you are feeling this way today, know that I see you and God sees you. He sees the pain you are going through as not one tear is missed by Him (Psalm 56:8). Sometimes we feel as though God isn’t paying attention to our pain, but He is … and He truly does care (1 Peter 5:7). Sometimes when the people around us don’t seem to care or understand, we may think God feels the same way. But God cares, He understands, and He loves you (John 3:16; Jeremiah 31:3).
Even if we know this, we still can struggle with the hardship of having chronic pain. My autoimmune illness causes me to have debilitating pain and extreme lethargy. There are days that I cannot function without pain relievers, yet I still try my best to keep pushing on. I have spoken to other people with chronic illnesses and it’s amazing to witness how we can keep going despite all the pain we are experiencing.
From my own personal experience, I have often withheld sharing about my pain because I’ve had others treat me like a burden for expressing my pain. When my bones ache and I am too tired to stand, I choose just to take time away by myself. We can also feel invalidated and misunderstood if nobody around us is suffering from chronic pain. In my direct day-to-day life, I don’t come across many people with chronic pain, therefore, it can be hard to have a sense of understanding. Nobody in my family has chronic pain, so how could they possibly understand what I’m going through? Sometimes I feel as though I annoy them when I say I’m in pain, so I choose to push the pain down, take pain relievers, and use heating pads until the flare is over.
Friend, you may already know how lonely and isolating this is. Fear likes to make us feel we are alone, yet we are never truly alone. God is with us and there are other believers across the world who are also experiencing chronic pain just like us.
The Bible tells us, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalm 73:26). As Asaph says in this passage, our flesh and hearts may fail, yet God will be the strength of our heart and our portion for all eternity. This passage gives me strength on my weakest days because it is the strength of God. He strengthens my weary knees and equips my heart to face the day ahead. While God may not take away all our pain, He can and will help us as we go through it. Chronic pain may last the rest of our lives, but it does not define us. Only Jesus defines us—we just need to trust Him.
Let’s Pray:
Dear God, I am suffering from chronic pain, and it is a lot to cope with. I want all the pain to end. I know You may not answer my prayer in the way I want, but I know You can help me and provide relief. Please strengthen my heart and continue to be my portion forever. I praise You for all Your goodness to me and I can’t wait to see You in Heaven where all pain will finally end. On this day, I know there will only be love, health, gladness, and hope. Thank You for giving me this promise for the future. It helps the pain lessen in this present life. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/PLUS/MindfulMedia
Vivian Bricker obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry, followed by a Master of Arts with an emphasis in theology. She loves all things theology, mission work, and helping others learn about Jesus. Find more of her content at Cultivate.
Related Resource: Establishing a Routine of Rest
For a long time, rest felt less like a gift and more like a guilty indulgence — something to be earned, something to feel vaguely ashamed of, something that productive, faithful people did not really need. In a world that measures worth by output, the idea of stopping feels dangerously close to falling behind.
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