don't waste your suffering

 Today in the One Year Bible, we read from Jeremiah 26:1-27:22. God is telling Jeremiah to give the people a message, which they will hopefully listen to and avoid the judgment they've brought upon themselves through their sins. God WANTS to forgive them, wants them to avoid punishment. But they have to cooperate.

This reminds me of a really cool lesson God taught me today. See, I've recently learned how powerful it is to "offer up" our suffering to God. When we suffer, we get to participate in the redemption, both of ourselves and of the whole world. See Colossians 1:24 for details, and if you still need explanation, read this.

And I've gotten pretty good at that! That's not being proud or lacking humility, it's just that God has taught me to do what St Therese of Liseux did, and He taught me largely through reading her little book, which you can listen to for free here. What God taught me through the Little Flower is that it's a wonderful thing to offer up my suffering to God. So for the last five years or so, anytime I have a headache or toothache or stomach ache or whatever kind of ache, I offer it up to God. Sometimes, offering it up is as simple as saying, "Here's my pain!!" And other times I put a little more theology and thought into it. But in any case, I can sense that He is using my suffering for my own benefit and for the benefit of others. Last week I offered up my suffering on behalf of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, for the repose of her soul and hopefully for her salvation.

But today He showed me something new! He's good at that. He showed me that there are OTHER kinds of suffering that I can offer to Him. Like when I'm forced to listen to rap music. Or when someone is being really rude to me. Or when someone cuts me off in traffic. Instead of just getting mad or annoyed or irritated... I can offer it up to God. 

Like St John Paul II said in the picture above, don't waste your suffering! Even if it's something very small, like a sore muscle or someone not saying thank you when you do something nice for them... offer that up! Allow it to be part of the redemption of the world.

God, thanks for teaching us to offer up our suffering.