Addressing Suffering and Trials through Prayer and Community
Addressing suffering and trials often involves turning to prayer and seeking support within a community. Prayer, defined as direct address to God, can be oral or mental, occasional or constant, and ranges from beseeching the Lord to pouring out one's soul before Him [1]. It presupposes a belief in God's personality, His ability, and willingness to interact [1].
The Bible frequently exhorts believers to pray during affliction. James 5:13 asks, "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray" [4]. Such prayers often include requests for God to consider one's trouble (2 Kings 19:16; Nehemiah 9:32; Psalm 9:13; Lamentations 5:1), for His presence and support (Psalm 10:1; 102:2), and for divine comfort (Psalm 4:6; 119:76) [4]. Believers also pray for the mitigation of troubles (Psalm 39:12-13), deliverance (Psalm 25:17, 22; 39:10; Isaiah 64:9-12; Jeremiah 17:14), and for pardon and deliverance from sin (Psalm 39:8; 51:1; 79:8) [4]. In times of judgment, repentance and prayer are considered proper responses [11]. Solomon's prayer in 2 Chronicles 6:28-31 demonstrates a sensitivity to human suffering, appealing to God's knowledge of individual motives and asking for instruction so that pain might lead to following God's ways [12].
The Apostle Paul, who endured persecutions in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, testified that "The Lord delivered me out of them all" [3]. He also urged believers to be "patient in tribulation, continuing in prayer" (Romans 12:12, Geneva1599) [6]. Paul himself sought the prayers of the community, asking the Roman Christians to "join me in my struggle by praying to God for me" (Romans 15:30) [2]. This highlights the communal aspect of addressing suffering.
The community's role extends beyond prayer. Scripture encourages believers to sympathize with the afflicted (Romans 12:15; Galatians 6:2), pity them (Job 6:14), bear them in mind (Hebrews 13:3), and visit them (James 1:27) [8]. Comforting the afflicted (Job 16:5; 29:25; 2 Corinthians 1:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:18) and providing relief (Job 31:19-20; Isaiah 58:10; Philippians 4:14; 1 Timothy 5:10) are also emphasized [8]. Furthermore, the community is called to protect the vulnerable, such as the fatherless and the oppressed (Psalm 82:3; Proverbs 22:22; 31:5; Isaiah 1:17) [5, 8]. God Himself is depicted as seeing trouble and grief, helping the victim and the fatherless (Psalm 10:14) [7].
Suffering and trials can also prompt self-reflection. John Gill suggests that instead of murmuring, individuals should "search and try our ways" to find comfort and instruction under afflictive providences [13]. This includes searching into God's love, the covenant of grace, and the Scriptures [13]. The long-suffering of God, which is part of His character (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Psalm 86:15), is intended to lead to repentance (Romans 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9) [9]. When facing desperate situations, the community prays for God to restore them, affirming their identity as the Lord's chosen people [10].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Prayer — Is converse with God; the intercourse of the soul with God, not in contemplation or meditation, but in direct address to him. Prayer may be oral or mental, occasional or constant, ejaculatory or formal. It is a "beseeching the Lord" (Ex. 32:11); "pouring out the soul before the Lord" (1 Sam. 1:15); "praying and crying to heaven" (2 Chr. 32:20); "seeking unto God and making supplication" (Job 8:5); "drawing near to God" (Ps. 73:28); "bowing the knees" (Eph. 3:14). Prayer presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold inter”
- Romans “Romans 15:30 (BSB) — Now I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.”
- 2 Timothy “persecutions, and sufferings: those things that happened to me at Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. I endured those persecutions. The Lord delivered me out of them all. -- 2 Timothy 3:11”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Affliction, Prayer Under — Exhortation to -- Jas 5:13. That God would consider our trouble -- 2Ki 19:16; Ne 9:32; Ps 9:13; La 5:1. For the presence and support of God -- Ps 10:1; 102:2. That the Holy Spirit may not be withdrawn -- Ps 51:11. For divine comfort -- Ps 4:6; 119:76. For mitigation of troubles -- Ps 39:12,13. For deliverance -- Ps 25:17,22; 39:10; Isa 64:9-12; Jer 17:14. For pardon and deliverance from sin -- Ps 39:8; 51:1; 79:8. That we may be turned to God -- Ps 80:7; 85:4-6; Jer 31:18. For divine teaching and direction -- Job 34:32; Ps 27:11; 143:10. Fo”
- Isaiah “Learn to do well. Seek justice. Relieve the oppressed. Judge the fatherless. Plead for the widow.” -- Isaiah 1:17”
- Romans “Romans 12:12 (Geneva1599) — Reioycing in hope, pacient in tribulation, continuing in prayer,”
- Psalms “But you do see trouble and grief. You consider it to take it into your hand. You help the victim and the fatherless. -- Psalms 10:14”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflicted, Duty Toward The — To pray for them -- Ac 12:5; Php 1:16,19; Jas 5:14-16. To sympathise with them -- Ro 12:15; Ga 6:2. To pity them -- Job 6:14. To bear them in mind -- Heb 13:3. To visit them -- Jas 1:27. To comfort them -- Job 16:5; 29:25; 2Co 1:4; 1Th 4:18. To relieve them -- Job 31:19,20; Isa 58:10; Php 4:14; 1Ti 5:10. To protect them -- Ps 82:3; Pr 22:22; 31:5.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Long-Suffering of God, The — Is part of his character -- Ex 34:6; Nu 14:18; Ps 86:15. Salvation, the object of -- 2Pe 3:15. Through Christ's intercession -- Lu 13:8. Should lead to repentance -- Ro 2:4; 2Pe 3:9. An encouragement to repent -- Joe 2:13. Exhibited in forgiving sins -- Ro 3:25. Exercised toward His people. -- Isa 30:18; Eze 20:17. The wicked. -- Ro 9:22; 1Pe 3:20. Plead in prayer -- Jer 15:15. Limits set to -- Ge 6:3; Jer 44:22. The wicked Abuse. -- Ec 8:11; Mt 24:48,49. Despise. -- Ro 2:4. Punished for despising. -- Ne 9:30; Mt 24:48-51; Ro 2:5. Illustr”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 80:16: 80:16-19 The community prays for God to change their desperate situation and restore them. They are still the Lord’s chosen people.”
- Lamentations (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Lamentations 2:18: 2:18-19 Repentance and prayer are the proper responses when facing the devastation of God’s judgment.”
- 2 Chronicles (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 2 Chronicles 6:28: 6:28-31 Petition 4: Solomon showed a special sensitivity to human suffering by including both the private sorrow of those whose pain is hidden and the public distress of those whose pain is apparent. The prayer is personal, appealing to God’s knowledge of each individual motive. A further appeal pleads for God’s instruction so that the pain of failure might lead the individual to follow God’s ways in the future.”
- Lamentations (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Lamentations 3:36: Let us search and try our ways,.... stead of murmuring and complaining, let us search for something that may support and comfort, teach and instruct, under afflictive providences; let us search into the love of God, which, though it cannot be fully searched out, it will be found to be from everlasting to everlasting; and that all afflictions spring from it; and that it continues notwithstanding them: let us search into the covenant of grace, in which provision is made for afflictions in case of disobedience, and for supports under them: let us search the Scriptu”