Why does a loving God allow pain and suffering in the world?

Why does a loving God allow pain and suffering in the world?

By Neil McBride

Questions and Answers

This is one of the most profound and persistent questions spiritual seekers ask today. Many wrestles with a difficult paradox in a world marked by pain, injustice, and uncertainty: If God is truly all-powerful and all-loving, why does suffering exist? In today’s blog, we’ll explore this timeless dilemma, not by offering simplistic answers, but by thoughtfully examining the nature of divine power, love, and the deeper purpose that might lie behind human suffering. Is it possible that God is omnipotent and compassionate, yet still allows pain? Or is there something more we’re meant to understand? Let’s delve into it.

Suffering as a Consequence of a Broken World

The Bible begins with a picture of peace and perfection—creation declared “very good” by God in Genesis. But with the gift of human freedom came the potential for disobedience. When Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3), the harmony of creation was shattered. Sin brought suffering, death, and separation from God. Suffering was never part of God’s original intent but entered as a result of humanity’s fall.

As Romans 8:22 (KJV) says, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”

God’s Power and Presence Amid Suffering

God does not remain distant in the face of human pain. In the Old Testament, He declares in Exodus 3:7 (KJV), “I have surely seen the affliction of my people… and have heard their cry.”

In the New Testament, God enters human history through Jesus Christ, “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3, KJV). At the cross, we witness divine love and power united. Christ did not remain removed from suffering—He bore it. The crucifixion is not a workaround; it is God’s personal response to evil. He suffers with us and for us.

Suffering with a Purpose

While Scripture does not provide simple explanations for suffering, it reveals that God can work through it. Romans 5:3–5 (KJV) teaches that “tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope.” James 1:2–4 (KJV) urges believers to “count it all joy… when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” Though suffering is painful, God uses it to shape character and deepen faith. As Joseph said in Genesis 50:20 (KJV), “Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good.”

The Hope of Restoration

The Bible’s story ends not in despair, but in renewal. Revelation 21:4 (KJV) offers this glorious promise: “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.” This is not fantasy or escape, but the Christian hope—the restoration of all things. In the end, God will make everything right, and His people will dwell in a new creation where justice and peace reign forever.

God’s Power Knows No Bounds

The Bible repeatedly emphasises this truth; God is called “Almighty” fifty-eight times. Psalm 147:5 (KJV) declares, “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.” Jeremiah 32:17 (KJV) echoes this, saying, “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.”

From the creation of the heavens to sustaining all things, God’s power knows no bounds. Nothing is too great for Him or beyond His reach. As 1 Chronicles 29:11, Jeremiah 10:12, and Colossians 1:16 (KJV) also confirm, His power is unmatched and the foundation upon which all things exist.

God’s Infinite Strength

The Bible leaves no doubt that God is all-powerful. He is called “Almighty” fifty-eight times throughout Scripture. Psalm 147:5 (KJV) declares, “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.” Jeremiah 32:17 (KJV) echoes this truth: “Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee.”

From the vastness of the universe to the smallest detail of life, all creation exists and is sustained by His power. As 1 Chronicles 29:11, Jeremiah 10:12, and Colossians 1:16 (KJV) confirm, God’s strength upholds everything. There is no limit to His might, and nothing is beyond His ability.

God’s Everlasting Goodness

Just as God is powerful, the Bible also clarifies that He is perfectly good. He is loving, merciful, and full of compassion. 1 Chronicles 16:34 (KJV) proclaims, “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.” Psalm 86:5 (KJV) says, “For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.” And Psalm 145:9 (KJV) affirms, “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”

God’s goodness is not limited to a few; it extends to all He has made. He is not only able to help us with His power, but also willing because He is good. His mercy is everlasting, and His love reaches everyone who calls upon Him.

God is all good and all loving, and His mercies endure forever

If the Bible clearly teaches that God is good and He is powerful, then how do we explain evil in the world? The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:12 (KJV), “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” What we see and understand on this side of heaven is like looking through a fog. We can make out the edges, but we do not see things clearly. We do not have all the details, but one day, we will.

So, where do pain and suffering come from? When you get an “F” on your report card, that’s not a good thing. Three “F’s” would be even worse. The Bible tells us that our world has three “F’s” that cause us to fail, and these are the sources of suffering around us:

Free Choice:

In Genesis 1-2, God created the world and placed man in it. Man was given the freedom to choose to obey God and enjoy His blessing, or to disobey God and suffer the consequences. Unfortunately, man freely chose to disobey God, and in that moment, sin entered into the world, and everything changed. The freedom to choose brings with it the freedom to choose both rightly and wrongly. You might ask, “Why didn’t God create a world where we would choose what’s right every time?” He certainly could have, but then there would be no true love or fellowship. Love is a choice. Without the freedom to choose to obey and to love, this world would be robotic and loveless.

Fallen World:

God created the world good, but then sin permeated it, and we now live in a world that is much different than the world God created. Romans 3:23 (KJV) says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” We live in a fallen world, and this “fallenness” affects everything — our thinking, our culture, our behaviour, and our sense of right and wrong. This is why we see abuse, addiction, perversion, the killing of the innocent, rape, incest, and all manner of evil. This “fallenness” also affects even the natural world around us. Diseases like cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and mental illness are all the effects of sin in the world. Natural disasters like tornadoes, tsunamis, hurricanes, and earthquakes are the reverberations of sin in our natural world. Romans 8 tells us that our world is corrupted by sin and is groaning, weakening, and struggling under the weight of it.

Forces of Evil:

There is a real, unseen spiritual world of evil that empowers and emboldens evil in our world. Ephesians 6:12 (KJV) says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Mass shootings, terrorist killings, and preoccupations with the occult are all expressions of evil motivated by the unseen forces of evil around us.

God’s Infinite Wisdom

While the Bible asserts that God is all-powerful and all-loving, it also declares that God is all-wise. Psalm 147:5 (KJV) says, “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.” Romans 16:27 (KJV) declares Him “the only wise God.” Even Job, who suffered more than anyone, confessed, “With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.” (Job 12:13 KJV).

Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV) reminds us, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts more than your thoughts.” And Romans 8:28 (KJV) assures us, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.”

When Satan sought to destroy Jesus and make Him suffer on the cross, God worked even that for our good and His glory. Though we all endure suffering, we can find comfort in God’s presence. The Scripture promises that God is moved when we suffer. Psalm 34:18 (KJV) says, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” Jesus Himself intercedes for us. Romans 8:34 (KJV) declares, “It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

Ultimately, God will put an end to suffering once and for all. Romans 8:18 (KJV) gives us this hope: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” One day, Jesus is coming again, and Revelation 21:4 (KJV) promises, “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.”

Until then, we look to Jesus, trusting Him to give us the strength to overcome. John 16:33 (KJV) assures us, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

God, the Source of All Wisdom

In addition to being powerful and loving, God is perfectly wise. Psalm 147:5 (KJV) says, “His understanding is infinite.” And Romans 16:27 (KJV) calls Him “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever.”

Even Job, who endured great suffering, confessed in Job 12:13 (KJV): “With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.”

We may not understand why suffering is allowed, but God does. As Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV) says: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.”

Yet, in His wisdom, God is working all things, even pain, for good to those who trust Him. Romans 8:28 (KJV) says:

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose.”

Even the cross, the greatest act of injustice in history, became the very means of our salvation. What Satan meant for evil, God used for good and glory.

God’s Comfort in Our Suffering

God does not ignore our pain. Psalm 34:18 (KJV) tells us: “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”

Jesus Himself is our intercessor. Romans 8:34 (KJV) says: “It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

Our suffering is real, but it is not the end of the story. Romans 8:18 (KJV) gives us this hope: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

And one day, God will bring a full and final end to all pain. Revelation 21:4 (KJV) promises: And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.”

 

Until that day, we hold on to the words of Jesus in John 16:33 (KJV):“In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Conclusion

God allows suffering not because He is weak or uncaring, but because He is powerful, loving, and wise. He gave us freedom, and with it, the possibility of wrong choices. But he also gives us grace every time we fall.

Yes, He could stop all pain, but to do so would mean removing our ability to choose. Instead, He walks with us through our pain, shaping us through it and promising to bring something beautiful from our brokenness. Ultimately, every tear will be wiped away, and every wrong will be made right.

DTA – Neil McBride

(CEO and founder of Downtown Angels)