How to Find Peace in the Storm of Unexpected Pain

Unfortunately, life can be incredibly painful and challenging on this side of heaven. No one is immune to the storms of unexpected hardship. We have all experienced hurt, no matter how hard we try to shield ourselves. Here is the good news; we don’t have to wait for the storm to pass or the hurt to fade to find peace. God desires us to experience His peace right now, even during our trials. Read on to discover how to find peace in the storm of unexpected pain and how your faith can empower you to overcome these challenges.

A Hymn of Hope

You might be familiar with the classic hymn, “It is well with my soul,” written by Horatio Spafford and composed by Philip Bliss. Horatio wrote these words not when his life was free of pain but in the wake of unimaginable tragedy. After a shipwreck claimed the lives of all his children, Horatio set out to meet his grieving wife, who survived the disaster. One can only imagine the torment he carried in his heart.

Yet, Horatio didn’t wait for the storm to die down or for his grief to subside. He knew where to turn and who to trust—the Lord. He reached for the only one who had the power to bestow peace amid the storm.

Horatio trusted God and proclaimed, “It is well with my soul.” He knew that God was his refuge, even in the darkest moments.

Where Do We Turn When Life Hurts?

Horatio’s story raises an important question: where do we turn when life feels unbearable? Like him, we don’t have to wait for things to improve before seeking peace. God offers peace that surpasses understanding—even when tragedy strikes.

Have you ever experienced peace in the middle of a storm?

I encourage you to watch this powerful video that shares Horatio’s full story and a moving rendition of the hymn:

Do You Long for Peace in Your Life?

Are you struggling with circumstances that feel too heavy to carry alone? Are you desperate for peace amid your pain? When life overwhelms us, it can feel like there is no escape from the torment. But it doesn’t have to be that way. God desires to give you the same peace He gave Horatio—a peace that allows you to say, “It is well with my soul.”

Finding Peace With God

God allows suffering to enter our lives for many reasons. Sometimes, the hardship results from our own doing, though often, the pain is beyond our control and impossible to understand. Regardless of the source, we have a choice: we can either carry the burden alone or turn to God for peace.

When intense suffering arrived in my life, I was a believer in Christ, yet I couldn’t fully embrace peace. I often focused on easing the pain myself—pushing the difficult circumstances aside or masking them with positivity, believing that’s what good Christians were expected to do. After all, God made me strong and capable of much.

To my surprise, day after day, more pain arrived, making me incapable of carrying the burden on my own. Circumstances were out of my human control. God was teaching me I needed Jesus to share my burdens. I finally relented and waved the white flag of surrender.

I then understood God was the only one who would carry me through. However, the ability to persevere and find peace would not miraculously happen overnight. I needed to do my part too. Below are some steps that helped me find peace in unwanted, difficult circumstances.

Steps to Help Find Peace in the Storm of Unexpected Pain

1. Choose to Trust God

Without expecting God to remove the pain, our trust must be deep and unwavering. We put our faith in Him even when what’s happening makes no human sense. Something that might help is to say, “Okay, God, “I don’t understand. I don’t like my circumstances, but I will trust you.”

2. Choose Acceptance

We don’t have to like our circumstances or God’s plan; however, we must accept them. Sometimes, simply saying, “It is what it is,” can help along this path.

3. Choose to Let Go

Letting go of control is crucial. In reality, we never had power in the first place.

I often imagine placing my burdens in a “Moses basket” and giving them to God. You can read about how a brave mother did this in the blog post “The Best Thing to Do When Life Is Difficult.”

4. Choose the Present Moment

Living in the present moment is essential. Persevering is more manageable when we focus on one moment at a time, especially when we are in the middle of suffering. We must not take on the imagined future suffering or linger in the past pain. After all, this moment carries enough hurt all on its own. Practice pushing away those thoughts that don’t pertain to the present moment.

We Can All Find Peace

My prayer is that we can all sing “It Is Well “with My Soul” and mean it from the depths of our hearts. We must practice; we will not master this condition of our hearts on the first try. We may even need a reminder or two.

However, when we trust in God, accept our circumstances, let go of control, and live in the present, we open ourselves to receive God’s incredible love. And then, out of nowhere, in the middle of our most painful storms, peace will envelop us in a way that makes no human sense. The feeling is incredible and will most likely take you by surprise. 

Of course, this doesn’t signify our pain will disappear or that God will answer our prayers exactly as we hope.
However, in the midst, we can feel God’s love, comfort, and peace no matter what we are going through or where we are.

No, we won’t always understand why we endure so much suffering on this earth. Yet, we know we will find peace when we trust God with the outcomes and believe in His promises.

How have you found peace in the storm of unexpected pain?

*This post was initially posted on devotable and has been expanded and updated here. 

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