Why God Allows Suffering

God allows suffering for several reasons. While we may not always understand why tragedies occur, Scripture gives us guidance to help make sense of it. Often, suffering arises from human choices and actions. Sometimes, however, the reasons remain hidden from us in this life.

We must remember that Jesus Christ will return as King of Kings to establish a kingdom of peace, prosperity, and purpose for all. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was central to His teaching.

What Should You Do in Suffering?

If you are suffering, bring your burdens to God in prayer and faith. Ask Him for comfort and encouragement. King David, in the book of Psalms, repeatedly cried out to God for relief from his suffering.

Jesus Himself came to earth to ease humanity’s suffering. He knows our pain and offers comfort, help, and hope. As He said:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest for your souls.” — Matthew 11:28-29

We need not be discouraged by the evil and suffering in the world. Understanding that suffering occurs for valid reasons can help us cope. God is sovereign and ultimately in control, and He has promised to free the world from suffering—not now, but when Christ returns to establish His Kingdom. In the meantime, He tells us to pray for the coming of that Kingdom and to wait patiently (Matthew 6:9-10; Luke 21:19).

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Our Responsibility

For our own lives, we must surrender to God through genuine repentance, as Jesus commanded (Luke 13:3,5). When Christ came to earth 2,000 years ago, He found a world burdened with injustice and pain. Of that world, He said:

“The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” — Matthew 4:16, NIV

The light Jesus spoke of was Himself and the truth of God He revealed. He called people to turn to God, saying:

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” — Matthew 4:17

By turning to God, we can experience comfort and hope even in the midst of suffering, looking forward to a world free of pain.

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Finding Strength in God’s Promises

Take courage and hope from God’s promises. Even amid sorrow, we can experience joy by living according to His will today and trusting His revealed truth about the world to come.

Paul explained that:

“The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed to us.” — Romans 8:18

The pain of today will seem small and fleeting compared to the eternal joy we will experience in God’s Kingdom. Paul also reminds us:

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” — 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, NLT

Even in suffering, we can find peace, strength, and hope as we trust God’s promises and look forward to the world He has prepared for us.