Too often, discussions about pain and suffering offer simplistic answers that overemphasize God's sovereignty while minimizing human free will and the reality of a fallen world. Simplistic answers often leave even believers with profound doubts. Then we hear or ask things like: "If I pray for healing from a chronic illness and remain sick, does God not care, or is He powerless?" Or, concerning death: "Did God want my loved one to die in that accident, from that disease, by violence?"
The Origin of Pain
In the beginning, God created a perfect “very good” world. There was no death, disease, or natural disaster. Harmony existed between God and humanity.
Genesis 1:31 NIV God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
However, this perfection was contingent upon obedience.
Genesis 3:2-3 NIV [2] The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, [3] but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ”
God gave Adam and Eve free will, the choice to love and follow Him or to rebel. Their choice to disobey introduced sin and death into the world, fracturing their relationship with God and with each other.
Genesis 3:6-12 NIV When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”
This act of rebellion had far-reaching consequences, corrupting all of creation.
Romans 8:22 NIV We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.
Therefore, the pain we see in the world, from natural disasters to human suffering, is not part of God's original design. It is a consequence of sin, a result of humanity's free will.
We die because we are descendants of Adam, heirs to a fallen nature.
Romans 5:12 NIV Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned--
1 Corinthians 15:22 NIV For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
Free Will and the Ripple Effect of Sin
Free will, while a gift, also opens the door to sin and its devastating consequences. Throughout the Bible, we see examples of how one person's choices inflict pain on others. Cain's murder of Abel, David's adultery and murder, and countless other examples illustrate this tragic reality. God doesn't condone these actions, but He allows them, respecting the free will He has given us.
Pain often arises directly from the sinful choices of individuals.
James 1:13-15 NIV [13] When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; [14] but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. [15] Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Pain is often simply a consequence of living in a fallen world.
Embracing the Mystery of God's Ways
We want neat, systematic answers, but the ways of God are often beyond our understanding. Prosperity theology, which wrongly equates faithfulness with material blessings and health, further complicates this issue. It fails to account for the reality of suffering and the mystery of God's plan.
Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
God's Response to Pain
In the face of suffering, it's easy to blame God. However, God is not the author of pain, in fact He can use difficult circumstances for our growth.
Romans 8:28-30 NIV 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. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
God is not distant or uncaring in our suffering. Jesus Christ, who experienced loss, hunger, and pain Himself, understands our suffering. He took on human flesh, lived in our broken world, and ultimately bore our sins on the cross.
Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV [14] Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. [15] 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. [16] Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
1 Peter 2:21-24 NIV [21] To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. [22] “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” [23] When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. [24] “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”
The cross becomes a powerful symbol of God's love and solidarity with our suffering. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus offers redemption and hope, a promise of a future where all things will be made new.
We may not always understand the "why" behind our suffering. However, we can trust in God's goodness, love, and justice. We see glimpses of His power and love in creation, and the ultimate expression of His goodness in the gift of His Son. Even in the pain and suffering of the world, we can find hope in the mystery of God's ways, trusting that He is working all things for our good and His glory.