I was recently asked this tough question: Why does God allow pain and suffering? Spoiler Alert- you will not glean a definitive answer to this question by reading this. In the Bible, Isaiah is clear when he records God’s words, “‘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.‘” (Isaiah 55:8-9) 

So why even bother praying about this and how does one reconcile the truth of the children’s song “Yes, Jesus Loves Me” with all the sin and pain that we see in the world? When these types of questions come to mind, my mentors have always encouraged me to look to God and His character as recorded in the Holy Scriptures and affirmed through His Holy Spirit. 

First, God recognizes our pain and promises to do something about it. “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.“ (Psalm 34:18 NIV). He is not shocked by our pain, nor does he discount it. He is close by and promises to save us. 

Next, when we are in pain, it is to bring us hope. “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5)

While I would not choose the initial ingredient in obtaining hope, hope is waiting for me and you as God develops both perseverance and character in us through our pain. Hope is what gives us “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding”.

Finally, when we have exchanged our suffering for hope, the scars can be a comfort and an encouragement to us, and to those that are now experiencing the same troubles.  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God”.  (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

While I cannot know the mind of God, He has made it very clear that we all will have troubles in the world.  Thankfully we can all take heart, for He did, has, and will always overcome the world.