If God Is Good, Why Is There Suffering?

This question isn’t just philosophical—it’s deeply personal. We ask it when someone we love is hurting, when tragedy shatters our sense of safety, or when the weight of grief, loss, or fear feels overwhelming. If God is truly good, then why does He allow pain? This is one of the most common—and most heartfelt—questions people of faith ask. And it's okay to ask it. In fact, it's human.

Let’s begin with honesty: there isn’t a tidy answer that erases the ache of suffering. Scripture itself doesn’t shy away from this tension. In the book of Job, we meet a man who loses everything and cries out to God in raw, unfiltered sorrow. And God doesn’t rebuke Job for his questions. Instead, He reminds him—and us—that divine wisdom is far deeper than we can imagine, and that there is more happening than what we see on the surface (see Job 38–42).

According to Scripture, suffering entered the world through human sin. The apostle Paul writes, “Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned”(Romans 5:12). God gave us free will—an incredible gift, but one that allows for broken choices and painful consequences. Much of what we experience as suffering is the result of a world marred by sin, both personally and systemically. Still, that doesn’t mean God is distant or indifferent.

One of the most beautiful truths of the Christian faith is that God chose to enter our suffering. Jesus came into the world and experienced pain firsthand—hunger, betrayal, rejection, sorrow, and even death. Isaiah prophesied of Him, saying, “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). Our God is not far off—He is near to the brokenhearted and knows our pain because He has walked in it.

Even when we don't understand why, we are given the promise that our suffering is not meaningless. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). This doesn't mean every experience is good. But it does mean that God can bring beauty out of brokenness, healing out of hurt, and purpose even in pain. Sometimes, the deepest compassion and strength grow in the hardest places.

And suffering is not the end of the story. Scripture assures us that there is a day coming when “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying” (Revelation 21:4). Evil will not have the final word. Loss will not last forever. Until that day comes, God walks with us—comforting, sustaining, and holding us close, even in the dark.

So, is it wrong to ask God why? Not at all. God welcomes honest questions. He may not always give immediate answers, but He always gives us Himself. And sometimes, in the deepest moments of sorrow, His presence is the very comfort our souls long for most.

All Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.