Breaking the Cycle of Suffering - Part 2

Season 1 Episode 22 - In this episode, I share some practical, biblical steps we can take to begin transforming the pain in our life, rather than transferring it to others.

"Reflect on This" is the podcast version of short email devotionals I send to my family and friends, where I am sharing the things I am learning about the ways and nature of God, through applying my study of the Scriptures to the world around me.
 
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Music credit:
Be Thou My Vision Interlude, by Sarah Bereza
Sarah.Bereza@gmail.com 

Transcript

In a previous episode, I shared this quote from Richard Rohr: "If we don't process and transform our pain, we'll continue to pass it on to others. This creates a cycle of suffering." 

I then posed this question:  So, how do we break free from this cycle of suffering, so we won’t continue passing it on to others?  The answer lies in facing our pain head-on and finding healthy ways to work through it. Transformation begins with acknowledgment – acknowledging the pain we carry and the impact it has on our lives and relationships. 

I know the reality of this from personal experience.  I finally acknowledged to myself that I had a lot of emotional pain from the physical and emotional abuse of my childhood and the associated dysfunctional family patterns.  I began to face the pain and work through it.  It was only then that I began to be healed and to stop passing along my pain to those I love.

In this episode, we will explore the additional biblical steps that I am taking, and we can all take, once we have acknowledged the pain, to begin transforming that pain, rather than transferring it to others.  

Why do I say that transformation begins with acknowledgment?  Because this is a practical application of what Jesus said:

John 8:32 HCSB  You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Acknowledging our pain and its impact on us and the people around us is simply acknowledging the truth.  Jesus said that “the truth will set you free.”  It is the necessary starting point on the road to freedom.

The transformation process may involve seeking support from a trusted friend, confidant, or pastor. Christian counseling can provide invaluable guidance and tools to navigate the complexities of our inner struggles and facilitate healing.  My personal experience confirms this.  Several years of work with a gifted Christian counselor has been truly a game-changer for me.  

God intended for us to live life in community with others, for support, help, and encouragement:

Galatians 6:2 HCSB  Carry one another's burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Receiving help is a reminder that we can’t do life on our own.  We need others, and we need God, which develops humility in us:

1 Peter 5:6-7 ESV  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,  (7)  casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

We must also own our poor responses that show up in the pain, and confess them as sin:  

James 5:16 NASB  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

We must cry out to God for help:

Psalms 18:6 HCSB  I called to the LORD in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears.

We must ask Him to forgive us, heal our pain, and transform our hearts:

Psalms 51:10 NASB  Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

We must search the Scriptures to find verses that describe our sinful tendencies of the flesh, and then find verses that describe the opposite, godly character qualities that God desires us to replace them with.  

Then, we must meditate upon these verses each day, and allow them to permeate and transform our souls, replacing our “heart of stone with a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26).

In the end, by transforming our pain, we break free from the cycle of suffering – not only for ourselves, but for future generations. 

Today, I encourage you to “Reflect on This.”