Why Does God Allow Pain and Suffering?
This question rarely comes from curiosity. Most of the time, it rises out of heartbreak. It shows up after prayers feel unanswered, after life takes a turn you never prepared for, or after you did your best to obey God and still found yourself hurting. If you’ve ever asked God why He would allow something painful to happen, you aren’t showing a lack of faith. You’re responding honestly to suffering, and Scripture makes room for that kind of honesty.
The Bible never presents faith as the absence of questions. It shows us faith that brings questions directly to God.
God Invites Honest Questions, Not Silent Struggle
When we read Scripture, we see that God’s people regularly brought their confusion and pain to Him instead of hiding it.
David cried out in Psalm 13:1, asking how long God would seem distant from him. Job questioned God deeply as he endured loss, sickness, and grief, yet Scripture still describes him as blameless and upright. Jeremiah openly expressed how overwhelmed he felt by God’s calling in Jeremiah 20. Even Jesus, while hanging on the cross, cried out in Matthew 27:46, asking why He felt forsaken.
These moments matter because they show us that wrestling with suffering doesn’t push God away. It draws us closer when we bring it to Him honestly. God doesn’t ask us to have everything figured out before we come to Him. He invites us to come as we are.
Suffering Exists Because Sin Fractured the World
The Bible is clear that pain and suffering were not part of God’s original design.
Genesis 1 and 2 show us a world created in harmony, free from death and brokenness. When sin entered the world in Genesis 3, it disrupted everything, including humanity’s relationship with God, relationships with one another, and even creation itself. Romans 8:22 tells us that creation is still groaning under the weight of that brokenness as it waits for restoration.
This helps us understand that suffering isn’t always the result of personal sin or God’s punishment. In John 9, Jesus corrected the belief that pain is always directly tied to wrongdoing. Some suffering exists simply because we live in a fallen world that has not yet been fully redeemed.
God Draws Near to the Brokenhearted
One of the most consistent truths in Scripture is that God does not distance Himself from those who are hurting.
Psalm 34:18 tells us that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 56:8 shows us that God notices our sorrow and values our tears. Isaiah 53 describes Jesus as a man of sorrows who was familiar with suffering.
Jesus experienced grief, betrayal, injustice, physical pain, and death. Hebrews 4:15 reminds us that He understands our weakness because He lived among us and suffered as we do. When you cry out to God in your pain, you’re speaking to a Savior who truly understands what suffering feels like.
God Redeems Suffering Without Calling It Good
Scripture never asks us to pretend that suffering is good. It teaches us that God is able to work through suffering for His purposes.
Romans 8:28 tells us that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him. It doesn’t say that all things are good. It says that God is at work in all things. Joseph’s story in Genesis gives us a clear picture of this truth. What his brothers did to him was sinful and harmful, yet God used that suffering to preserve lives and fulfill His greater plan. Joseph acknowledged this in Genesis 50:20 when he said that what was meant for harm, God intended for good.
God’s redemption doesn’t erase the pain, but it does remind us that suffering is never outside His sovereignty.
Suffering Can Refine Our Faith and Dependence on God
The Bible shows us that suffering often produces spiritual growth that comfort alone cannot.
James 1:2-4 explains that trials develop perseverance and maturity in our faith. Psalm 66:10 describes suffering as a refining process, like silver being purified. Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 that God comforts us in our affliction so that we can later comfort others.
This doesn’t mean God causes pain to teach lessons. It means that when suffering comes, He remains present and faithful, shaping our hearts as we learn to depend on Him more deeply.
The Cross Reveals God’s Heart Toward Suffering
The clearest answer to the question of suffering is found in the cross.
God didn’t remain distant from human pain. He entered it. Romans 5:8 tells us that Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Through Jesus, God experienced the full weight of suffering and death, and through the resurrection, He declared that suffering would not have the final word.
Revelation 21:4 promises a day when God will wipe away every tear and pain will be no more. That promise doesn’t minimize today’s grief, but it anchors it in future hope.
When God Doesn’t Explain the Why
Some suffering will never make sense in this lifetime, and Scripture acknowledges that reality.
Job never received a detailed explanation for his suffering, but he did encounter God. Psalm 73 shows a believer wrestling with injustice until he entered God’s presence and gained perspective. Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us that God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours.
Sometimes God doesn’t answer our questions directly. Instead, He meets us in the middle of them.
A Word for the Hurting Heart
If you’re suffering right now, Scripture offers reassurance that God has not abandoned you.
Lamentations 3:31-33 reminds us that the Lord does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone, and His compassion is great. He sees your pain, He is near, and He is faithful even when circumstances feel unbearable.
You’re allowed to grieve.
You’re allowed to ask hard questions.
You’re allowed to bring your pain to God without pretending everything is fine.
He’s strong enough to hold you through it.
Want to Go Deeper?
If this is a question you wrestle with or one you’re helping others navigate, we created a free printable PDF that walks through why God allows suffering with Scripture, explanations, and reflection prompts.
This resource is designed to be used for:
Personal study and prayer
Discipleship and mentorship
Small groups, churches, and ministry settings
Download it here and use it as a teaching and encouragement tool wherever God has placed you.
If this Bible topic would serve your church, women’s ministry, or event, I’m available to teach live or virtually.
One of the purposes of Her Hiding Place is to support and strengthen the body of Christ through sound, Scripture-centered teaching that helps women grow in biblical understanding and walk out God’s Word in everyday life.
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