Why Does Suffering Exist? A Biblical Guide to Hope and Purpose

Understanding Suffering

As long as people have been alive, they have questioned, "Why do people have to suffer?" Why can't we live in a world free of any kind of pain—spiritual, emotional, or physical? As Christians we have answers to this that others do not. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture explains why suffering exists, how God uses it, and what hope believers have in Christ. In this guide we will explore what the Bible teaches about suffering and point you to additional studies that examine these topics in greater depth.

The Origin of Suffering

The Bible explains that the world was free of suffering and pain until one pivotal moment when a decision was made that turned the world upside down. In one stroke the world went from perfection to death. It went from bliss to agony.

Adam and Eve believed Satan's lies and ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 3:1-24). From that point on, their relationship with God and His creation was damaged. That moment when they put their desires above God, mankind was doomed. Why Christians suffer is the same reason all of humanity suffers.

God knew exactly what humans would choose and had prepared a lamb, slain from before the foundation of the world, as a sin offering (Revelation 13:8). This lamb, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, would enter the world as a human baby, live the life of a sinless man, and die on the cross taking the sins of the world upon Himself. His shed blood provided the way for us to come back to our Father. He took our sins and our punishment on Himself so we could live forever with God. His suffering brought us back into communion as it had been in the beginning. And when He rose from the dead after three days the world knew this was no ordinary man but God incarnate.

Although Christ's sacrifice provides the ultimate answer to suffering, Christians still struggle with another question. If God has redeemed us, why does He still allow suffering in our lives today?

Does God Have a Purpose in Suffering?

When Christians suffer there is a purpose. We may not know exactly why we suffer in this life but we know that "All things work together for good for those that are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). This promise is for Christians, not for those who are in the world.

When we suffer we learn to lean on God for all our needs. We learn to give our problems and worries to Him "for My burden is light" he tells us in Matthew 11:30. We learn to listen when we pray, not just beg for help. We learn to obey God because sometimes we suffer as disobedient children who need correction.

Suffering brings us an awareness of God's providence. He doesn't just set the world spinning and leave us to our own ends as the Deists believe. He cares for us and sets things in motion to accomplish His will.

We can look at the life of Joseph in Genesis as an example. Jealous brothers placed him in slavery, yet he gained a position of influence in his master's house. An attempt to lure him into a sexual relationship by the master's wife ended with him in prison. There he was known as an interpreter of dreams. The Pharaoh heard of him, and after correctly interpreting Pharaoh's dream and saving his country, he is elevated to a position of prominence only second to Pharaoh himself. In this position he was able to save his people from starvation and eventually reunite with his family.

Only God could orchestrate such a series of events. In all of this Joseph was faithful. His suffering fulfilled God's plans, not just for him but for his people. And so God has a plan for our suffering, even if we don't realize it. Yet understanding that God has a purpose in suffering still leaves another important question. Does He actually care about the pain we experience?

Does God Care When We Suffer?

Absolutely, God cares when we suffer. Jesus was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. When God sent His Son, Paul tells us He suffered as we did. Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus because His friend died and just like us He was deeply grieved by that loss. He suffered betrayal at the hands of Judas who handed Him over to the authorities for money and even His beloved Peter denied even knowing Him. He suffered physically by being beaten and hung on a cross. He suffered mentally when His disciples could not even stay awake for a few hours to pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Because He knows suffering he can truthfully say "He is near the brokenhearted" (Psalm 34:18) He truly knows your pain. He is there with you and will never abandon you in your hour of need.

How Do Christians Find Hope and Peace

There are many stories of people who suffer terribly and yet have peace. It is His peace, "Peace I give to you," He tells us (John 14:27). We only have to ask and believe. This peace and hope for a future is anchored in Christ. Through Christ we can abound in hope even when we suffer. As Christians our trust is in God's faithfulness and His love. He is truth. When He says He will never forsake us, we can believe it, because we have seen it in our own lives, the lives of those around us, and the lives of His saints we read about in His Word. Our steadfast faith enables us to endure trials with hope.

We understand that suffering in this life may never go away but we know that there will be a future time when there is no sorrow or pain (Revelation 21:4). Jesus has promised us a home with Him for eternity. As an old hymn says, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness." He is the rock on which we stand.

What Can We Learn From Those Who Suffered

The Bible leaves us with so many examples of those who suffered. These examples are there for a reason. God knew we would be discouraged. He knew we needed to see that even His greatest servants endured suffering and in doing so can teach us how to "suffer well."

Our greatest example besides the suffering of Jesus, is that of Job. Job who was a righteous man endured loss almost beyond comprehension. All of his children were destroyed, his livelihood taken away, and even his health. All he had left was a wife who told him to "Curse God and die" (Job 2:9). But he did not curse God. He questioned God and had to endure his friends who basically told him he must have done something to deserve what happened when he knew he did not. In the end, he was rewarded for his faithfulness, receiving a double portion.

We see still other examples: David who fled for his life for years from Saul who wanted to kill him and later in life his own son tried to take the throne from him. We see a man punished by God for his sins, who later becomes known as a "man after God's own heart" (Acts 13:22). In the New Testament we read about Paul who is transformed from a man who hunts Christians down to the greatest missionary who ever lived. In the midst of this he was beaten, jailed and eventually executed for his faith.

What we learn from these examples of suffering is faithfulness. We learn to praise God in the midst of our pain. We see that out of their suffering something greater came. We understand that they were and we are role models for the world.

Does God Remember the Faithful?

When we suffer and are faithful to God He remembers us. This is foretold in Malachi 3:16 God promises to honor and reward those who are faithful to Him in an unfaithful world. The world may seem to receive many rewards, they may seem to suffer little, but the time for his saints to be rewarded will be in eternity. He says so beautifully that he has a "Book of Remembrance" of the good and honorable things done by His beloved people. He promises not to forget us even though we may sometimes feel that he does.

We don't look at life like the world does. We know that suffering is not meaningless. It produces fruit and that that fruit will be rewarded, not the fruit of being a good person per se, but the fruit of love for others that flows from us because of our changed hearts. And this is what God promises to remember.

How Should Christians Respond?

Christians should respond to suffering by praying honestly to God. Share your burdens with Him knowing that He cares deeply for you. Obey Him even though it may be so difficult to show love to someone who is mistreating or persecuting you. Showing that love is how we share Him with the world. Our job is to do good. So no matter what happens our purpose is to reach out to those who hate us with goodness, for by doing this we heap burning coals on their head and you will be rewarded (Proverbs 25:21-22).

This is how we overcome evil with good, Paul tells us in Romans 12:21. This kind of grace leaves God to be the judge. It can win a person over to Christ out of sheer disbelief in our ability to give grace as it was given to us. What God expects when we suffer is obedience and love.

The End of Suffering

Don't forget that your life is just a whisper, only a fleeting thing but eternity is forever. Keep a perspective of joy in the Lord no matter what comes your way. We don't rejoice in the bad things that happen but we have joy knowing that He is always with us and one day we will be with Him.

We will be invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb as His beloved bride, the church (Revelation 19:7-9). Our hope is in Beulah Land with Jesus who takes delight in His people and promises to care, protect, and dwell with us forever.

Why Does Suffering Exist and Our Hope

God allows suffering to exist because sin entered the world, but God has not abandoned us to suffer alone. Through every trial He is working to draw His people closer to Himself, strengthen their faith, and prepare them for eternity. The Bible repeatedly reminds us that suffering is not the end of the story. Jesus entered our suffering, conquered sin and death through the cross and resurrection, and promises a future where pain, sorrow, and death will be no more. Until that day, Christians endure suffering with hope, knowing that God remembers the faithful, walks beside the brokenhearted, and will one day make all things new.

Continue Your Study of Suffering

If you are struggling with suffering, grief, persecution, or unanswered questions, the articles below explore these topics in greater depth and provide biblical encouragement for difficult seasons of life.

https://www.journeywithhope.com/post/why-christians-suffer-hope-beyond-the-pain —What we can learn from suffering

https://www.journeywithhope.com/post/god-s-plan-in-suffering —How God used Joseph's hardships to accomplish His purposes.

https://www.journeywithhope.com/post/god-cares-about-your-suffering-even-when-people-don-t —Finding comfort in Christ's compassion.

https://www.journeywithhope.com/post/abound-in-hope —Discovering hope that endures hardship.

https://www.journeywithhope.com/post/steadfast-faith-enduring-trials-with-hope —When we are faithful to God we can endure with hope.

https://www.journeywithhope.com/post/job-and-jesus-finding-hope-through-suffering-and-faith —We have role models for suffering.

https://www.journeywithhope.com/post/a-book-of-remembrance —When we suffer, God remembers our faithfulness.

https://www.journeywithhope.com/post/what-does-god-expect —God expects our obedience and love in the midst of difficult times.

https://www.journeywithhope.com/post/covenant-marriage-and-the-hope-of-beulah-land —We can expect to attend the marriage supper of the Lamb and that brings hope.