Key Points
- Ainsley Flynn survived sudden heart failure after what first seemed like a normal case of the flu.
- She now works at the same hospital that helped save her life and hopes to become a cardiac ICU nurse.
- God does not waste our suffering, even when the pain itself is not good.
- The comfort we receive from God can become the comfort we offer to others.
- Our stories, scars, and painful seasons can become places of ministry when surrendered to Christ.
After surviving sudden heart failure at just 20 years old, Ainsley Flynn now works at the same hospital that saved her life many years earlier. With hopes of becoming a cardiac ICU nurse, Flynn’s story encourages us to pay attention to the opportunities around us, because you never know when you might be given the chance to save a life.
When Ainsley Flynn contracted the flu in 2024, she thought the cold would pass quickly.
“My whole family had the flu, and everyone was sick on Christmas, including me. I wasn’t feeling great, but I pushed through and was even planning to spend New Year’s with my friends” (People).
As symptoms progressed, however, she suffered from sudden heart failure that left her weary, confused, and downright fearful. Just days after her 20th-birthday (December 28th), Flynn was taken to the emergency room when she started vomiting, losing consciousness, and becoming less responsive. After a long period of treatment and recovery, Flynn says an Impella heart pump, allowed her organ to rest and recover. Today, she works at Allegheny General Hospital as a patient care technician—the same hospital that saved her life. She’s also in her third year as a nursing student at Duquesne University.
As scary and miraculous as Flynn’s story is, it brings up an important question: Can God use our deepest suffering to prepare us for our greatest calling?
Flynn’s story reminds Christians that suffering is never good in itself, but God can redeem what hurts us and use it to make us more compassionate, available, and ready to serve.
How Can God Use Our Pain for a Greater Purpose?
While many stories like Flynn’s exist, what’s unique is that most people have a very narrow view of pain and suffering. It’s the norm to believe that anguish only takes away from us. But in a way, suffering also shapes us.
Let me be clear: God does not delight in our suffering, and He never wastes it. I don’t believe He finds pleasure in suffering. Suffering is a major part of living in a broken and fallen world. But while we would never choose pain, God can and will bring purpose from it. He can even use some of our most difficult seasons to help someone else.
In my favorite Scripture of all time, Romans 8:28, we see that suffering is never good. Things like heart failure, cancer, and trauma aren’t gifts from God. Illness is part of our sinful world. And yet, God still specializes in redemption. God still chooses to bring beauty from the wreckage. God still chooses to use what the enemy meant for evil and turn it for good (Genesis 50:20). And though we’d rather avoid the pain altogether, beautiful ministries can come out of our deepest wounds.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28, NIV).
If you don’t want to take my word for it, just look at some of the forefathers of the faith:
Joseph knew he would eventually rise to power, but he faced pain, rejection, and horror for years before he would gain the prize.
Naomi endured grave loss, and yet near the end of her story, she was given new life and redemption.
Paul faced hardship, wreckage, and imprisonment, and yet he was constantly zealous for the Lord.
Even Jesus endured the cross in love because He trusted the Father’s Plan. What was before Him paled in comparison to what was ahead of Him.
Joseph eventually saved his family (and an entire nation). Naomi helped Ruth find a new husband. Paul saved many people. Jesus conquered the grave. Seeing these examples won’t make our pain any easier, but it can remind us that we’re not alone. And that’s exactly what Flynn’s story and 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 point towards:
How Does God’s Comfort Help Us Comfort Others?
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (NIV).
Because we’ve established that suffering is part of humanity, I want to share one thing that’s brought me immense comfort: knowing that God has endured everything I ever will and He desires to comfort me (and you) even here.
When God comforts us, He then invites us to comfort others—not because what we endured was good, but because our scars can become places of ministry. Those of us who have walked through suffering have compassion that can’t be manufactured, taught, or bought. Just like Ainsley Flynn, her ability to serve patients in hospital rooms came from a scary and life-threatening experience. She knows the uncertainty, pain, and fear. But those things also make her the best servant.
Today, you and I may encounter and work with cancer survivors, grieving parents, recovered addicts, those living with anxiety, caregivers, or those with a broken heart, to name a few. These are all problems of humanity, well-known and common to our society. The beauty of interacting with them is that God often uses healed wounds to minister to those who are still hurting.
All of us encounter and survive difficult seasons. They are unique and specific to us. Proverbs 14:10 says it this way: "Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy" (NIV). But when we learn to give back from the pain, we can reshape what it once tried to steal:
“Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2, NIV).
If you want to make a difference in someone’s life today using your pain, try asking yourself these questions. Answer them openly and then discuss them with the Lord.
Where has God equipped me to share my story?
What has God taught me about suffering?
Who shares similar struggles with me that I can encourage?
How can I use my pain to serve others?
If you’re looking for more practical steps, here are three to get you started:
Don’t underestimate your story- Instead of being afraid or embarrassed to share, remember what God has done in your life. Even if the prayers weren’t answered the way you expected, remember that someone else might be walking through what you were (or still are). Can you help them to feel less alone?
Do an act of kindness- It could be thanking those who have cared for you (doctors, nurses, counselors, friends, church members, caregivers), reaching out to a friend, or simply looking for opportunities to serve. It’s not normal for pain to be used for purpose, but if we’re intentional about it, it absolutely can be.
Share your story- I might be biased as a writer, but choose to be brave and share your testimony. Write it, speak it, blog it, or share it with a close friend. You never know when it could make someone’s day!
Friends, God never promised an easy or pain-free life, but He does promise to be with us when times get tough. The question is, will you allow your pain to help others heal?
A Prayer for God to Use Our Suffering to Serve Others
Dear Jesus,
I want to pray for those who are currently suffering. I know what it’s like to experience pain, and I pray that they feel your presence. Knowing my own suffering, I ask for you to use my story and enable me to share it boldly. We love, praise, and thank you, Jesus. Amen.
Agape, Amber
Frequently Asked Questions about Suffering, Service, and God’s Comfort
- Can God use our suffering to help others?
Yes. God does not call pain good, but He can redeem painful seasons and use them to deepen our compassion, wisdom, and willingness to serve others. - What does 2 Corinthians 1 teach about comfort?
2 Corinthians 1 teaches that God comforts us in our troubles so we can comfort others with the same compassion we have received from Him. - Does Romans 8:28 mean suffering itself is good?
No. Romans 8:28 does not call suffering good; it promises that God can work even painful things for the good of those who love Him. - How can Christians turn pain into service?
Christians can turn pain into service by sharing their story wisely, encouraging others with similar struggles, offering practical help, and carrying burdens with compassion. - Why does sharing a testimony matter?
Sharing a testimony can help others feel less alone and point them to God’s faithfulness, comfort, and redemptive work in the middle of suffering.
For Further Reading
- Why Does God Allow Pain?
- The Meaning of Romans 8:28 - Does God Really Work All Things for Good?
- Finding Comfort in Times of Trauma and Tragedy
- Are We Supposed to Carry Each Other’s Burdens?
- What Does Testimony Mean in Christianity?
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/kitzcorner
