Question from St. Agnes Confirmation Class...
This is a heartfelt question. I don't know what you may be going through. Whoever you are, my family and I will pray for you.
The quick answer is: Yes. God always gives us the ability we need to get through our tough times, whatever they are. But this can seem trite or condescending if not explained more.
God loves you. God loves you for who you are right now. He wants you to love Him in return. That is why He gave us the freedom to choose. There can be no love with out a free choice. God does not want us to go through unnecessary suffering, but He knows if He gave us the freedom to love Him we could also choose "not Him", or sin.
This is one of the reasons why He doesn't just zap all evil and sin away. He wants us to love Him. If we don't have that choice, there is no love.
I am not saying that your suffering is your fault or due to your sin, necessarily. My point is God helps each of us through all those times, though because of sin, I don't always see it. Certainly I hardly ever "feel" it.
Worse for me, I often misunderstand how He helps and comforts me. I always want a blinding light from heaven, angel messengers, voices from clouds and to be knocked off my horse! Something BIG, something FLASHY, something I cannot deny. But most often God uses His creation to be with us, to communicate with us and to comfort us. So while I'm looking for angels, I miss the friend who asked me "How are you?"; While I'm listening for voices from a cloud, I miss the Mass readings, homily and prayers that have words of comfort or encouragement for me; while I'm waiting to be knocked off my horse, I miss my dog curled up on my lap.
God always gives us what we need to get through WHATEVER suffering and difficult times we have. Yes even that! But we have to be open to how He comforts us and where He gives us the strength: Prayer (memorized prayers; "just talk to Him" prayers; prayers at Mass; prayers of others; prayers to Saints), The Eucharist, Confession, Scripture, friends, family, the "ordinary" all around us.
But it is very difficult to see this while going through suffering. Many times I only recognize it after the fact. Then I often forget to thank God when I do recognize His help, love and comfort.
Now when we say, "God will give us the strength to see us through..." we don't mean we're going to breeze through like it was nothing. Did you ever watch the end of a marathon race? Did you ever see the people who collapse as soon as they pass the finish line? They spent everything they had to get there. Most of the time it's like that. Did you ever see the person who had to crawl the last 100 yards because they can't even stand? Sometimes it's like that too. God gives us the strength to see us through... not necessarily jumping and skipping while whistling the 'Smurf' theme song!
Mother Theresa once said, "God never gives us more than we can handle, I just wish He wouldn't trust me so much."
But it's not just about "getting through". God is infinitely good and because He loves us SO MUCH, He does something amazing for us: "We know that God causes all things to work for good for those who love Him..." (Romans 8:28). Did you catch that? God causes ALL things to work for good: your sufferings, difficult times, everything!
Even if we don't see it, ALL our difficulties, sufferings and horrible things in our lives, God WILL cause to work for GOOD, if we love Him. How do we know this? The Crucifixion. The most innocent man ever was subject to the most evil, unfair, horrible suffering. What did God do with that? He used it to bring us the Resurrection, the freedom from our sins (if we confess and are sorry for them) and the hope that we will live forever with Him in Heaven!
God does the same with our sufferings. Whatever someone suffers in this life, if they love God, God will transform that into a greater Good!
God is with you. God weeps with you, He sits with you in your darkness and is with you in your loneliness. Even if you cannot see Him, hear Him or feel Him, He is there; He loves you and wants the best for you. He wants you to choose Him, even if you don't "feel" like it and if you do, you will make it through AND something better will come of your having suffered... even if you don't see the good in this life.
God Bless you!
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