Find Healing in Christ’s Suffering

Discover true freedom by embracing Christ’s sacrifice. In this article, you’ll learn how to transform life’s painful marks into stepping stones for redemption. We show how connecting with Jesus turns suffering into strength—setting the stage for a new life in His grace.

The Marks We Carry

Every interaction leaves a mark, shaping our identity and sense of belonging. While positive experiences can build us up, negative ones often leave deep scars:

– Neglect
– Controlling behaviors
– Various forms of abuse
– Discrimination
– Betrayal
– Loss of loved ones
– War and conflict
– Illness

These painful experiences can distort our view of ourselves, others, and God. The enemy uses our suffering to feed us lies, telling us we’re unworthy, unlovable, or beyond redemption. These false beliefs become the roots from which negative behaviours and sins grow.

But here’s a crucial truth we often overlook: not what comes into our lives that ultimately destroys us, but what comes out of our hearts in response. As Jesus taught in Mark 7:15, “There is nothing that enters a man from outside that can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.”

The enemy’s strategy is to use our pain to trap us in a vicious cycle. We suffer, believe lies about ourselves, act out in destructive ways, and then inflict pain on others – perpetuating the cycle of brokenness.

Christ’s Suffering: Our Path to Healing

So how do we break free? The answer lies in the heart of the gospel – in the transformative power of Christ’s suffering on our behalf. Isaiah 53:3-5 paints a vivid picture of this power:

“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain… Surely, he took up our pain and bore our suffering… But he was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds, we are healed.”

God, in His infinite wisdom, placed suffering at the epicentre of Jesus’ life and mission. Why? So that in every painful experience we face, we can find a point of connection with our Savior. Where the enemy seeks to mark us as his own through suffering, Christ uses His wounds to claim us as His beloved.

Consider how Jesus experienced the full spectrum of human pain:

– Born into controversy, likely facing gossip and judgment (John 8:41)
– A refugee fleeing violence as a child (Matthew 2:13-15)
– Betrayed by a close friend (Matthew 26)
– Physically and emotionally abused (Matthew 26-27)
– Humiliated and stripped naked (John 19:23)
– Unjustly condemned by authorities (John 18-19)
– Offered numbing agents to escape His pain, which He refused (Mark 15:23)
– Crying out to God, feeling forsaken (Matthew 27:46)

In every form of suffering we might face, Jesus says, “I’ve been there. I understand. You are not alone.”

Finding Freedom Through Identification

The invitation is clear: in our pain, will we be drawn to destructive coping mechanisms such as substance abuse, self-harm, or toxic relationships, or will we allow our suffering to draw us closer to Christ? When we choose to identify with Jesus in our struggles, we open the door to true healing and transformation.

This shift in perspective changes everything:

1. It reframes our understanding of the gospel and salvation. We see grace as a theological concept and a lived reality meeting us in our deepest pain.

2. It transforms how we view forgiveness. When we recognise the bondage of those who have hurt us, we can more easily say, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

3. It reshapes our community approach. Instead of putting on masks of perfection, we can vulnerably share our struggles, bearing one another’s burdens as Christ bore ours.

4. It revolutionises family relationships. Recognising that every interaction leaves a mark, we become more intentional about creating a home environment that reflects God’s love and grace.

5. It gives new meaning to our personal testimonies. Our stories of brokenness and healing become potent tools for God’s kingdom, offering hope to others still trapped in darkness.

We need to find unity in our families. We need to find peace and restoration. And it is possible when we find our own healing in God and start understanding ourselves and start understanding what my family is going through and find healing in that.

A Call to Abandoned Living

Living an abandoned life with Christ means letting go of our false identities built on lies and embracing our true identity as God’s beloved children. It means courageously facing our pain, not to wallow in it, but to find Jesus there and allow Him to heal us from the inside out. It means living each day with a sense of surrender and trust in God’s plan for healing and transformation.

This journey of healing and freedom is not a one-time event but a daily choice. Every morning, we have the opportunity to take responsibility for our healing and ask:

“Jesus, what part of Your story do I need today to face my challenges? How can I relate to You rather than falling back into old patterns? Show me how I belong to You, not to the enemy or my past.”

As we make this our lifestyle, we’ll sing with increasing conviction: “This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all day long.”

Your story matters. Your pain is not wasted. In the hands of our Redeemer, even the deepest wounds can become channels of grace, not just for your healing but for the healing of others.

Today, will you take a step towards living that abandoned life with Christ? Will you allow His suffering to speak into yours, finding freedom and purpose? The invitation stands – to look at the roots of your behaviours, confront the lies you’ve believed, and embrace the healing power of identifying with Jesus.

Remember, “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds, we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5). Let His wounds be the source of your healing today.

We need to make this a lifestyle. You need to connect with Jesus every day and say, what part of your story do I need today so that I can face my day in a way that honors you, in a way in which I can relate to you and not to the enemy.