When I Suffer Pains and Losses
When I suffer pains and losses
The hymn expresses distinctly Lutheran theology regarding the Christian's experience of suffering as compatible with God's love and providential care, emphasizing that affliction serves God's purposes in sanctifying believers. It articulates the comfort found in Christ's presence and the certainty of ultimate redemption despite temporal distress.
History & Background
Martin Behm composed this German hymn in the early 17th century as a meditation on suffering and God's sustaining grace during times of affliction. Catherine Winkworth translated it into English in 1863, making it accessible to English-speaking Lutheran congregations.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 733
- Lutheran Service Book — 756
- Lutheran Worship — 423
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 523
Translation
Bulletin Note
Composed by Martin Behm in 1610, this hymn embodies Lutheran conviction that affliction, sanctified by Christ's presence, becomes a means of grace rather than evidence of God's absence or wrath.
Preaching Connection
This hymn deepens the Law-Gospel movement by reframing suffering not as punishment deserved but as the grinding wheel upon which God sanctifies us—a consoling word for any congregation bearing real crosses.
Themes
Suffering and faith Divine consolation Trust in God's presence Affliction and grace