Embracing Hope: Why Does God Allow Suffering? Finding Answers in Jesus

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Embracing Hope: Why Does God Allow Suffering? Finding Answers in Jesus

The question echoes through millennia, whispered in hospital rooms, cried out in moments of loss, pondered in quiet solitude: Why does a good and powerful God allow suffering? It is perhaps one of the most profound and deeply human questions we can ask. If God is all-loving and all-powerful, why does pain exist? Why do good people face hardship? Why are tragedy and sorrow woven into the fabric of human experience?

For those new to faith in Jesus Christ, or anyone exploring His life and message, tackling a question of magnitude feels essential. It probes the very nature of God, the reality of our world, and where hope can truly be found. There are no easy, bumper-sticker answers that can fully satisfy the depth of hurt some suffering causes. However, exploring a question requires looking towards the ultimate revelation of God’s character and His response to our broken world: Jesus Christ himself.

Instead of offering simple platitudes, let’s journey together, looking not for a formula but for a Person. The heart of the Christian faith isn’t an abstract explanation for pain but a Savior who entered into our suffering, shares in it, and ultimately conquered it. Understanding Jesus helps reframe the question and provides a foundation for enduring hope, even when answers seem distant.

The Ache Behind the Question

Before diving deeper, let’s acknowledge the legitimacy of the question. It arises from genuine pain, confusion, and a longing for justice and peace. When we see senseless violence, debilitating illness, natural disasters, or personal betrayal, our hearts cry out for things to be different, for things to be right. A cry isn’t necessarily a sign of weak faith; often, it’s a sign of a heart that understands goodness and longs for its universal application. The Bible itself is filled with figures who wrestled with God amidst suffering – Job, David in the Psalms, even Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Asking “why” is part of the human condition, a part of honestly engaging with the world and with God.

Understanding the Framework: Freedom and a Fallen World

To approach the question, we need a foundational understanding of the world as described in Christian teaching. Central to this point is the concept of free will. God, in His immense love, desired a relationship with humanity built on genuine choice, not coercion. He created beings capable of loving Him freely, which inherently meant creating beings capable of choosing not to love Him, capable of choosing paths leading away from His goodness.

The biblical narrative in Genesis describes a point where humanity, represented by Adam and Eve, chose separation from God’s perfect design. The outcome wasn’t just a personal mistake; it fractured the relationship between humanity and God, between humans themselves, and between humanity and creation. Sin entered the world, and with it came its devastating consequences: decay, disease, conflict, and death. Suffering, in many forms, is a consequence of living in a world operating outside of God’s original, perfect intention – a world impacted by both human choices (personal sin, systemic injustice) and the brokenness of creation itself (natural disasters, illness).

God did not design suffering as a preferred tool. Rather, He allowed the possibility of suffering when He granted meaningful freedom. Love cannot be forced, and a world without the possibility of choosing against God would be a world without genuine love. While deeply painful, understanding origin helps shift the perspective slightly: suffering isn’t God’s ideal, but a tragic reality He actively works within and ultimately overcomes.

Jesus: God’s Astonishing Response

Here is where the story takes an incredible, uplifting turn. God’s response to a world fractured by sin and suffering wasn’t distant judgment or abandonment. His response was personal, radical, and full of love. His response was Jesus. Exploring who Jesus is and what He did provides the most profound perspective on suffering.

Fact Section 1: Jesus Reveals God’s Heart – He Entered Our World

Instead of remaining aloof from the messiness of human existence, God did the unthinkable: He became one of us. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, took on human flesh. The Incarnation – God becoming human – is central to understanding God’s posture towards suffering. He didn’t just observe our pain from afar; He chose to step into it, to experience life as we do, with all its limitations, vulnerabilities, and potential for pain. A choice demonstrates immense humility and profound solidarity. God wasn’t content to merely sympathize; He chose to empathize by becoming human.

• Scripture: “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8 NIV)
• Importance: Why does God’s entering our world matter when you are hurting? Its importance lies in assurance. It assures us that God is not detached or uncaring about human struggles. When pain makes God feel distant, remembering the Incarnation anchors us in the truth that God drew near in the most intimate way possible. He willingly subjected Himself to the conditions of our world, proving His love isn’t theoretical but tangible and self-sacrificing. A God who becomes human is a God fundamentally for us, not against us, even when circumstances are confusing. He is not above the fray; He entered it.

Fact Section 2: Jesus Experienced Our Suffering – He Understands

Jesus’s life wasn’t shielded from hardship. He was born into humble circumstances, likely experiencing poverty. He faced misunderstanding from His own family (Mark 3:21) and rejection from His hometown (Luke 4:28-30). He was tempted fiercely (Matthew 4:1-11). He knew hunger and thirst, weariness from travel, and the deep sorrow of grief, weeping at the tomb of His friend Lazarus (John 11:35). He was betrayed by one disciple, denied by another, and abandoned by most in His hour of greatest need. He endured false accusations, mockery, brutal physical torture, and the agonizing death of crucifixion. Jesus didn’t just witness suffering; He lived it intensely. He knows betrayal. He knows physical pain. He knows emotional anguish. He knows death. Because He experienced the depths of human suffering, He can truly understand and relate to our pain. We don’t have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.

• Scripture: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” (Hebrews 4:15 NIV)  
• Importance: The fact that Jesus experienced suffering holds immense importance because it means we are never truly alone in what we feel. When you feel misunderstood, isolated, or that no one could grasp your pain, remember Jesus can. He doesn’t offer sympathy from a position of detached perfection; He offers empathy forged in the fires of genuine human experience. Knowing Jesus understands our weaknesses, temptations, and sorrows assures us we can approach Him honestly, without pretense, finding not judgment, but profound kinship and compassion. He gets it.

Fact Section 3: Jesus Conquered Suffering’s Ultimate Sting – He Rose Again

Jesus’s suffering and death were not the end of the story. That is the most glorious news! Three days after His crucifixion, Jesus rose from the grave. The Resurrection is the cornerstone of Christian faith and hope. It demonstrates that Jesus has ultimate power – power over sin, power over suffering, and even power over death itself. Death, the final enemy, the ultimate consequence of sin and source of so much suffering, was defeated. His victory wasn’t just for Himself; it was for all who place their trust in Him. It’s a declaration that suffering and death do not have the final word; God’s power, love, and life are stronger. A resurrection guarantees that God’s plan involves not just managing suffering but ultimately obliterating it.

• Scripture: “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57 NIV)  
• Importance: Jesus’s resurrection is crucially important because it infuses our present suffering with unshakeable hope. Without the resurrection, suffering would seem final, death would be the ultimate victor, and our faith would be potentially futile. But because Jesus rose, we know that current pain is temporary. The outcome provides proof that God’s power is greater than any tragedy or loss we might face. It assures us that our future includes resurrection and life beyond suffering. When hardship feels overwhelming, the empty tomb reminds us that the story isn’t over and that ultimate victory belongs to God and those united with Him.

Fact Section 4: Jesus Offers Presence and Strength In Our Suffering – He Is With Us

While Jesus ascended to heaven, He did not leave His followers alone to navigate the pains of life. He promised the gift of the Holy Spirit – God’s presence dwelling within believers. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus offers comfort, peace that surpasses understanding (Philippians 4:7), strength to endure, wisdom to navigate challenges, and a sense of His unwavering presence even in the darkest valleys. He doesn’t always remove the suffering immediately, but He promises to walk through it with us. A relationship with Jesus provides companionship, resilience, and the assurance that we are never truly alone in our struggles. He can bring good even out of terrible situations, working circumstances for the ultimate good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28) – often meaning spiritual growth and deeper reliance on Him.

• Scripture: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, a Father of compassion and a God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we receive from God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV)  
• Importance: Understanding that Jesus offers His presence through the Holy Spirit is vitally important for day-to-day endurance. Suffering can feel incredibly isolating. Knowing God isn’t just watching from heaven but is actively present within us by His Spirit changes everything. It means access to supernatural comfort, strength beyond our own, and moment-by-moment guidance. Feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean we are abandoned. A truth provides practical help – we can pray for and receive peace, patience, and perspective right in the midst of trial because God Himself dwells with us, equipping us from the inside out.

Fact Section 5: Jesus Promises a Future Without Suffering – He Will Make All Things New

The Christian hope isn’t just about coping with suffering now; it’s anchored in a future reality where suffering will cease to exist. The Bible culminates with a stunning vision of a new heaven and a new earth, where God dwells fully with His people. In the future, there will be no more tears, no more death, no more mourning, crying, or pain. All the brokenness, injustice, and sorrow of our current world will be gone, replaced by perfect peace, joy, and wholeness in God’s presence. Jesus’s work on the cross and His resurrection are the down payment, the guarantee, of future restoration. Knowing the final destination gives believers immense hope and perspective to face present difficulties.

• Scripture: “‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4 NIV)  
• Importance: The promise of a future without suffering holds immense importance because it provides ultimate perspective and motivates perseverance. When present pain feels all-consuming, knowing it is not eternal changes how we view it. A guaranteed future of perfect joy and restoration re-frames current hardship as temporary and light in comparison to the glory to come (2 Corinthians 4:17). Hope isn’t just wishful thinking; it’s a confident expectation based on God’s character and Jesus’s victory. Having future certainty fuels our ability to endure present trials with grace and keep our eyes fixed on the ultimate goal – eternal life with God, free from all sorrow.

So, Why Does God Still Allow Suffering Now?

Even understanding Jesus’s incredible response, the question might linger: If He conquered death and offers His presence, why does suffering persist so acutely now? While we may not have exhaustive answers that satisfy every intellectual query, we can discern some reasons consistent with God’s character and plan:

1. Preserving Meaningful Freedom: As mentioned earlier, God continues to uphold genuine human freedom. Forcing compliance or instantly removing all negative consequences of choices would negate freedom. He values for the sake of authentic relationships. Much suffering is, sadly, the result of human choices – individual and collective.
2. Refinement and Growth: Scripture suggests that facing trials can produce spiritual maturity, perseverance, and deeper character (Romans 5:3-5, James 1:2-4). Suffering has a way of stripping away self-reliance and teaching us to depend more fully on God. It can purify motives, deepen compassion for others, and shape us more into the likeness of Christ. God does not cause evil to teach us, but He can redeem painful experiences, using them for our ultimate spiritual good.
3. Drawing People to Himself: Hardship often exposes the inadequacy of temporary comforts and securities. In times of suffering, people may become more aware of their need for something – or Someone – greater than themselves. Pain can create a spiritual hunger, prompting individuals to seek God who might otherwise feel self-sufficient.
4. A Larger, Unseen Purpose: We see only a tiny fragment of God’s vast, eternal plan. Our perspective is limited by time and space. God operates with perfect wisdom and knowledge, orchestrating events in ways we cannot fully comprehend (Isaiah 55:8-9). Trusting His goodness sometimes means accepting that we don’t see the whole picture, believing He is working toward an ultimate good that incorporates even present sorrows.
5. The “Already and Not Yet”: Believers live in a tension between the “already” of Christ’s victory and the “not yet” of its full realization. Jesus has already inaugurated God’s Kingdom, defeated sin and death, and offers His Spirit. But the final consummation, the creation of the new heaven and new earth, is still future. We live in an overlap of ages, where brokenness still exists alongside the powerful presence and work of God.

Living with Mystery, Clinging to Jesus

Ultimately, fully comprehending why God allows every instance of suffering may remain beyond our grasp in life. Faith involves trust, particularly when understanding fails. However, the Christian faith offers something far more substantial than a complete explanation: it offers Jesus.

He is not a distant deity indifferent to our pain. He is Immanuel, God with us. He is the compassionate Savior who wept. He is the understanding High Priest who was tempted. He is the victorious King who conquered death. He is the comforting Spirit who dwells within. He is the Risen Lord who promises a future free from tears.

Focusing on the person and work of Jesus doesn’t make suffering disappear, but it profoundly changes how we face it. We face it knowing we are understood. We face it knowing we are not alone. We face it knowing it has a purpose, even if unseen. We face it knowing victory is assured.

Instead of being consumed by the “why,” we can turn to the “Who.” Who is God? Look at Jesus. He is loving, compassionate, powerful, and utterly committed to His people. Who walks with us in pain? Jesus. Who holds our future? Jesus. Who is our ultimate hope? Jesus. The wonder of Jesus isn’t just in His miracles or teachings; it’s in His willingness to embrace the cross, His power displayed in resurrection, His ongoing presence with His people, and His promise to make all things new. He is the answer, not in a neat formula, but in a living, loving relationship that sustains us through life’s deepest trials and points us towards eternal joy. Letting the incredible reality of who Jesus is and what He has done permeate our hearts provides the strength, comfort, and uplifting hope we need to navigate a world still touched by suffering while looking forward to the day when all suffering will end.

Thank you today for letting Olive Branch Publishing offer you insights that can help you grow as a new Christian in today’s world.