Here’s an eye-opening interview with a woman from Nigeria. She is a devoted Christian who has spearheaded worship services in her church while her fellow believers were brutally massacred in her beloved country. During the interview, she made a statement that hit home: “Our response to pain is worship.”
The very words she said completely melted my heart. And I am sure that every Christian who loves God has felt the same stirring of the Spirit upon hearing such an exciting and insightful profession of faith from someone who has been deeply scarred by the atrocities committed against his own people.
At that very moment, I felt God speaking through that woman to the entire church: “Our response to pain is worship.”
It reminds us that as Christians we are one in soul and spirit, just as we are one in Christ. You see, when our Shepherd speaks, we hear his voice loud and clear, and it hits home.
worship is always on their lips
When I heard those words, I thought of the apostle Paul. He worshiped God in chains, in a lonely, dark, narrow, and cramped dungeon, filthy with his own excrement. While he was confined in the oppressive darkness of the dungeon, defiled, robbed, and deprived of comfort, he encouraged and urged his followers to “rejoice in the Lord always.”
God’s faithful servants from ancient times to modern times have raised the bar in how we deal with pain and hardship. From Abraham, Moses, David, the prophets, and the apostle Paul to the suffering servants of our day, worship never leaves their lips, even in the midst of trials. Some were killed, some had their bones broken, their flesh bruised, and their internal organs gnawed by hunger, yet they remained faithful and never ceased to utter praises praising God.
I must admit that some people complained and questioned God, but there is one thing they never did. That is, they never turned their backs on God. Even when their lives faced unbearable hardships, there was always praise on their lips, glorifying God. Despite their circumstances, they felt empowered to worship and embrace life with a grateful heart.
The question is, is it possible for us ordinary people to do the same? How to rejoice and worship the Lord in the darkest of times? When we don’t know when our next meal will be, when our wallets are empty and bills are neatly lined up on our desks, when we have lost the only job that provides for our family, or perhaps the person we love most, or when we are suffering from a terrible illness, can we rejoice in the Lord in the midst of our suffering?
We cannot do it alone, but with God’s help we can do it. Never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit within us.
power of worship
God’s faithful servants have taught us that the tougher the days, the longer the shadows than expected, the deeper, richer, and fuller our worship must be. It is our weapon, our silent act of resistance against the darkness.
Dealing with pain through worship requires spiritual maturity. Whether we want to admit it or not, when life is hard, worship is often the last thing on the list. Worshiping God, which used to come naturally, suddenly becomes a real challenge. For most of us, when crushing pain is exposed, we tend to retreat into a corner, slump or curl up in a ball as we grapple with a wave of mixed emotions. Waves of crippling fear, sharp anger, and deep sadness can engulf us all at the same time. that’s ok. we are humans. God understands that we are but dust and cannot hold out when the stakes are high.
But we must never forget who we are in Christ. We do not live without hope. We have God on our side to guide us through the thorny path until we reach the other side and find our way to level ground.
Remember how God’s faithful servants tasted victory after refusing to give in to fear by worshiping God in the midst of suffering. They know that when the heart turns to worship, victory is near. Daniel is saved from being devoured by lions, Paul and Silas are released from prison, and the list continues to grow. So when our pain flares up like a fire, let us remember that we should redouble our efforts to rebuild and recover through the transformative power of worship.
Recognize the power of the Holy Spirit living within you
And the same Spirit who from ancient times gave God’s servants the power to worship God even in the midst of suffering, the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, is the same Spirit who lives in you and me today.
That is why Christians who are being persecuted all over the world were able to endure, even to the point of death. They did not abandon their faith. They did not stop attending church, even if it was the safest and most convenient thing to do. They could not have been so brave on their own. The Spirit of God within them kept their faith strong and enabled them to keep going even when all seemed lost.
you are braver than you think
So you, too, can grow and remain faithful in the same way when faced with daunting challenges. The Spirit of the Lord dwells within us, so let us act without fear.
The death of a martyr is not a defeat, but a great victory. We are not of this world. Since we do not have a spirit dwelling in this world, we must see things through God’s eyes. We live in hope and joyful anticipation of what is to come because we have God and a place to return to. “I have spoken these things to you, that you may have peace in Me. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart, for I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 NIV
Most of us have experienced debilitating emotional pain. We know that no one will leave this world unscathed, because God Himself said, “In this life you will have trouble.” That may sound like a hard pill to swallow. it’s not. Jesus ended it with these uplifting and reassuring words: “But take heart, for I have overcome the world.”
These are words of encouragement that give us a reason to meet pain with worship rather than despair or anger. To sing words of praise even when our hearts are broken and tears flow, burdened by hardships that often push us to our limits.
Faithful servants of God know very well that God will come for them the moment they are at the end of their rope and can no longer bear the burden. That’s why Jesus told us not to be afraid, because no matter the storm, Jesus is our lifeline. It won’t be easy, but God will make the struggle bearable so that we can endure the days ahead.
God understands our limitations. When the prophet could no longer continue and wanted to die, didn’t the Lord send an angel to feed and encourage Elijah?
Message to our generation
The appropriate response to pain is worship.
I believe this is God’s timely message to all of us as we journey through one of the darkest and most difficult seasons the world has ever experienced. Massive unemployment due to AI, distorted and perverted ideologies touted and defended by the majority, acts of violence against Christians in many countries, and even in the West, pastors and Christian school teachers who adhere to the teachings of the Bible are being arrested. And the list goes on.
So when our world seems to be descending into chaos and immorality, worshiping God becomes a powerful weapon to shed light on the darkness that threatens us.
Victory follows where worship leads.
If you’re going through a searing ordeal, you can slam your hands on the table in anger or pain if necessary. But don’t keep anger and resentment in your heart. Relax and get out of your frustration. The sooner the better. Then we can begin to worship God. Because, my friends, when our hearts turn to worship, victory is near.
Photo courtesy: ©GettyImages/Boonyachoat
