Why Would a Good God Allow Suffering? A Biblical Perspective

“If God is good... then why do I hurt this much?”

Maybe you've whispered that through tears, questioning how a good God would allow so much suffering. Maybe you've screamed it in frustration, wondering how a good God would allow such pain. Or maybe it’s the quiet, unanswered question sitting in the back of your heart.

If you've ever wrestled with the weight of suffering, you're not alone and you’re not broken. You’re human. And God is not intimidated by your questions, especially when they arise from a heart that loves God.

But here’s the twist: what if suffering isn’t proof that God is absent, but evidence that the Lord Jesus Christ is present in a deeper way, allowing us to experience His love amid the evil in the world?

TLDR: Why Would a Good God Allow Suffering?

Suffering grows your spiritual endurance: God uses pain to produce perseverance and deep trust (Romans 5:3).
God honors free will, even when it leads to pain: Real love requires choice, and human rebellion brought brokenness, but God still walks with us.
Not all suffering is punishment: Some trials are refining tests, not judgments, designed to build spiritual maturity.
Some suffering stays mysterious: Like Job, we may never get answers, but we can still choose awe and trust.
What to do with your pain: Lament, take small steps and trust that God is still writing your story.
A personal testimony of faith in suffering: One story of losing a job after a celebration, and finding God’s presence in the silence.

The Problem We Don’t Preach About

Sunday morning sermons don’t always leave space for what hits hardest on Monday: the diagnosis, the breakup, the depression, the prayer that never got answered. So we build silent theologies around our pain.

“Maybe I did something wrong.”
“Maybe God’s punishing me,” but the Bible says that God gives us trials to strengthen our faith.
“Maybe He’s not listening at all.”

But those conclusions aren’t the whole story. And honestly? They’re not biblical either.

The Bible addresses suffering openly, teaching us to confront it with strong faith and reminding us that God remains good despite evil and suffering.

What Scripture Really Says About Suffering

Let’s break it down and explore how we can know God better through our trials. Across Christian traditions, suffering isn't seen as meaningless, especially when we remember that God is good, even in a fallen world. In fact, it's deeply woven into the fabric of faith: the understanding that God created a world where love can exist even in pain.

1. Suffering Grows You Spiritually

Paul didn’t say suffering might help, he said it will.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.”— Romans 5:3 (NLT)

Spiritual growth often comes through pressure. Not because God enjoys watching us struggle, but because He knows that’s where trust grows roots.

Suffering forces us to ask: “What do I really believe?” And that wrestle? It’s where character is forged, through our relationship with God in the midst of suffering. In those moments of trial, we are stripped of our illusions and brought face to face with our true selves. The comfortable distractions that often fill our days are stripped away, leaving us vulnerable and exposed to the reality of evil in this world. It’s in this raw state that we confront our fears, doubts, and insecurities. We may find ourselves questioning our faith, our purpose, and our worth. But it’s precisely here, in the crucible of suffering, that God meets us with His presence.

When we lean into our pain, rather than turning away from it, we begin to see glimpses of grace. We start to understand that suffering is not just a detour on our spiritual journey; it is a vital part of it. As Paul emphasizes in Romans, endurance is cultivated through challenges. Each struggle becomes an opportunity to deepen our reliance on God, to trust in His goodness even when circumstances seem bleak.

As we endure, we discover resilience we never knew we possessed. Like a muscle that grows stronger through resistance, our faith expands in the face of adversity. We learn to cling to God’s promises, finding solace in the truth that He works all things together for our good. Our prayers become more earnest, our hearts more open, and our spirits more attuned to His voice, especially when we see that God shares in our suffering.

Moreover, suffering often fosters empathy. When we experience pain, we become more compassionate towards others who are hurting. We start to recognize that we are not alone in our struggles; everyone faces battles of their own. This shared human experience can deepen our connections, leading us to support and uplift one another in ways we may not have considered before.

Ultimately, suffering can lead to transformation. It refines us, shaping our character and molding us into the people God has called us to be. Just as gold is purified in fire, we emerge from our trials with a clearer understanding of our identity and purpose. We become living testimonies of God’s faithfulness, equipped to encourage others in their own journeys.

So, when faced with suffering, let us remember that it is not in vain. God is at work, and through the pain, He is crafting something beautiful within us. Embrace the process, for it is through the trials that we are drawn closer to Him and become more like Christ. As we navigate the storms of life, may we hold fast to the hope that our suffering is not the end of the story, but a stepping stone towards greater faith and deeper connection with our Creator.

2. God Honors Your Free Will — Even When It Hurts

One of the most powerful truths in Christian theology is that God gave us free will. Not because He wanted us to suffer, but because real love has to be chosen. Without the ability to choose, love wouldn't be love at all. But with freedom comes the possibility of rebellion and the painful reality of suffering.

Both the Bible and everyday life show us this tension. We live in a broken world where suffering occurs, not always because God caused it, but because humanity chose to turn away from Him. Since the beginning of humanity, we have all participated in that rebellion. We made the choice in the garden to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and with that choice came consequences.

Still, God didn't abandon us. Even though evil exists, God continues to stay present. He allows suffering in this fallen world, not because He enjoys it, but because He can use it to bring about something greater than we can see right now.

Scripture reminds us that God may be able to comfort us in our pain so that we can offer that same comfort to others. In this way, our suffering is not meaningless. It becomes part of a redemptive story.

And while we might never fully understand the reason for every trial, we do know this: God Himself suffered and died. Jesus didn’t just teach about pain. He stepped into it. That means we’re not alone. We have a Savior who walks with us through it all.

3. Suffering Is a Test — Not a Punishment

Not all suffering is judgment. Sometimes it is a test. A refining fire. Much like the trials that Adam and Eve faced after their fall, hardship reveals the truth of where we stand with God and what He is forming in us.

The Bible puts it like this:

"God is treating you as his own children. Whoever heard of a child who is never disciplined by its father?"Hebrews 12:7 (NLT)

Discipline in this context is not about punishment or wrath. It is about relationship. It is about growth. Just like a good coach pushes you beyond what is comfortable, not to break you but to build you, God allows trials that shape who you are becoming. It may not feel good in the moment, but it produces something deeper in the long run.

4. Some Pain Stays a Mystery

Let’s be honest. Not every pain has a clear purpose or a clean conclusion. Some suffering never comes with an answer. Job never received a reason for what he endured. What he got instead was a bigger view of God, one that includes understanding the reasons why God allows suffering.

"Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?"Job 38:4 (NLT)

And still, Job worshiped. Not because he understood everything, but because he learned to trust God even in the silence. That kind of faith does not come from having all the answers. It comes from learning to stand in awe.

So What Do We Do With Our Pain?

Theologians and everyday believers have found that how we respond matters more than having the perfect explanation. It is not just about understanding why God allows suffering. It is about learning how to walk through it.

Lament honestly

God is not afraid of your tears. David wrote psalms from the depths of sorrow. Jesus Himself wept. You are allowed to do the same.

Take small steps

Faith is rarely a giant leap. Often, it looks like the next small step. A whispered prayer. A text message when you feel alone can remind you that God shares in our suffering. A worship song in the middle of the storm. These small acts matter more than we think.

Trust anyway

You do not need full clarity to walk in faith. You only need to believe that God is still present and still writing your story. Even in the middle of suffering. Even in a world that feels full of evil. The ending is still in His hands, and it will be good.

My Story: When Suffering Got Personal

I’ll never forget the night I asked God "Why Me?". Life had gone sideways. I was in a season where everything I had built seemed to be falling apart. It felt like every prayer I sent up came back unanswered, like voicemails left on heaven’s machine. And in the quiet, the old question echoed in my heart: Would a good God really allow this?

That week, I went from celebrating a birthday surrounded by people who love me to waking up the next day and losing my job, forcing me to confront the reasons why God allows such trials. One moment I felt hopeful. The next I felt hollow. It didn’t make sense. I had been faithful. I had prayed. And yet the rug still got pulled.

But here’s what surprised me: the reasons why God allows so much suffering can lead to profound insights. God didn’t explain everything, just like He didn’t fully explain His plans to Adam and Eve. He didn’t rush to fix the pain. He stayed with me in it. I began to notice small signs of His presence. Quiet moments of peace. Unexpected encouragement. Provision I hadn’t planned for. It was like He whispered, “I see you. I’m still here.”

And slowly, I learned something deeper than answers. I learned how to walk by faith and not by sight. I learned that Jesus never promised to keep me from the fire. But He did promise to walk through it with me. And He has. Every step.

Let’s Talk About It

Suffering will knock on every believer’s door at some point, revealing the reality of evil in this world. But what you do with it can become your most powerful testimony, showcasing how a good God allows so much suffering for greater purposes. So let me ask you...

What has God taught you in your hardest seasons?

Drop your Blessedtimony in the comments! Your story might be the lifeline someone else needs. Check out more real-life Blessedtimonies or share your own here.

This blog was written for both the KFM Broadcasting and Blessedtimony Blog. Check out all the Blessedtimony resources and other writings at www.blessedtimony.com. You can also check out all the resources from Rico Lane here on our site: https://www.kfmbroadcasting.com/team/lane-r