Can prayer give meaning to suffering before death? Many people facing pain or the end of life turn to prayer and find it brings purpose and peace to their struggles.
Suffering often feels heavy and without reason, especially when death draws near. But prayer offers a way to connect with something bigger. In moments of deep hurt, like illness or loss, praying can shift the focus from endless “why” questions to a sense of being held by a loving presence. For example, one person overwhelmed by daily tasks looked toward a church and surrendered in prayer. They felt washed clean by Jesus’ blood and heard a call to take up their cross and follow. This turned their burden into a shared journey with Christ, much like Simon of Cyrene helped carry the cross to Calvaryhttps://shalomtidings.org/joy-in-suffering/. Instead of grumbling, they saw Jesus walking beside them through the pain.
The Bible points to this too. In Philippians 3:10, Paul writes about wanting to know Christ and share in his sufferings to become like himhttps://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-daily-prayer/a-prayer-to-die-daily.html. Prayer helps people “die daily” to their own desires, embracing trials as a path to grow closer to God. A simple prayer might go like this: Heavenly Father, my body fights the pain, but help me embrace it to become more like Christ. Give me strength to find joy in you amid the hurt. Jesus himself prayed often, submitting to God’s will even facing death on the cross.
Traditional prayers deepen this comfort. The Anima Christi, loved in Catholic circles, asks Christ to hide the soul in his wounds and call it home at death’s hour. Lines like “Passion of Christ, strengthen me” and “At the hour of my death call me” turn suffering into a bridge to eternal praise with the saintshttps://www.dioceseofbrooklyn.org/52-prayers/anima-christi/. It seeks purification and protection right when pain peaks.
Prayers for others in suffering also build meaning. Asking God for compassion echoes Exodus, where he heard cries and actedhttps://livingoneword.com/prayers-for-loved-ones/. One plea seeks patience to endure, remembering that light troubles lead to eternal glory, as in 2 Corinthians 4:17. Another calls for strength through the Holy Spirit, knowing God walks every step.
Even in fiery trials, prayer invites supernatural joy. It draws people nearer to God, replacing fear with comfort, like Psalm 23’s promise: Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for you are with mehttps://www.bibles.net/are-you-in-denial-about-your-suffering/https://radical.net/podcasts/pray-the-word/fiery-trials-are-temporary-1-peter-412-13/. Saints and everyday believers show suffering heaped with joy when offered to God, pointing to a final judgment where all makes sense.
Sources
https://shalomtidings.org/joy-in-suffering/
https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-daily-prayer/a-prayer-to-die-daily.html
https://www.dioceseofbrooklyn.org/52-prayers/anima-christi/
https://livingoneword.com/prayers-for-loved-ones/
https://radical.net/podcasts/pray-the-word/fiery-trials-are-temporary-1-peter-412-13/
https://www.bibles.net/are-you-in-denial-about-your-suffering/
