Suffering is a product of the fall, a consequence of human sin against God (Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:21). Suffering is in our lives because we are living in a broken world. Some suffering is due to our sinful and wrong choices, but some is due simply to the world being fallen.
But eventually, God brings vengeance for His people's suffering. God pronounces judgment upon these nations for their sins – including for the suffering inflicted on His people. The pain of His children angers God and brings Him to action.
Matthew 9:35). Moreover, the notion of suffering as punishment for sin was deeply embedded in ancient Hebrew tradition. Jesus rejected this notion and rather highlighted the unconditional love of God (e.g., the Sermon on the Mount -- Matthew 5:45 and the healing of the man born blind -- John 9:1-41).
Psalm 34:18 says “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” And Jesus himself endured the ultimate pain for us so we can be assured that God never leaves us alone. As believers, we have this source of comfort in our pain: God is with us.
In 1 Corinthians 12:26 it says, “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.” The connection between people as members of the Body of Christ should be like the connection of a human body.
Jesus understands our suffering because He suffered in our place. In Isaiah 53:5-9, we read of Jesus' suffering on our behalf. He was wounded, bruised, chastised, and whipped for our sins. He went beyond sharing in our sufferings as He received the punishment which our sin deserves.
Suffering strips away the facade of self-righteousness to reveal the deeply rooted sin within our hearts, creating in us a greater desire for the righteousness found only in Christ. We then strain towards the prize and long for the heaven-bound hope to be free from the constant battle within us.
Sometimes God is silent because we aren't ready for the message. He wants to talk to us about something, but we aren't ready. We have to go through refining trials to make us ready to listen. God is sometimes silent because He knows we aren't willing to obey.
Bring your pain to God, don't run from Him. Whenever you run from God when you experience pain and suffering, all you are left with is our own limited ability to cope with what you are experiencing. God invites us to draw near to Him so that we might know the reality of His peace, closeness, and healing.
God Allows Suffering to Bring Us Closer to Him
And He often uses hard times to get our attention. When things are going great we are not so quick to turn to Him. But when trials come, they often drive us to our knees in search of answers and comfort.
Rev. 21 Verses 1 to 4
He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; [4] he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away. "
There are two types of evil and suffering: Moral evil and suffering – this is suffering caused by the actions of humans. Examples include acts of murder, and war. Natural evil and suffering – this is suffering that is caused by nature and has nothing to do with the actions of humans.
Suffering as a Tool of Sanctification
Suffering causes our focus to turn inward, to face those parts of ourselves we might otherwise ignore. God can use suffering then to develop us into better people: the people who can love and enjoy Him forever (Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4).
“Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).
How does God want you to respond to suffering? Trust Him. Lean on Him. Know that He is at work for good in your life.
Suffering can make us more resilient, better able to endure hardships. Just as a muscle, in order to build up, must endure some pain, so our emotions must endure pain in order to strengthen.
Christians also pray for those who suffer and try to help them. Evil and suffering in this life is a preparation for Heaven . Evil and suffering give people a chance to become better people and improve their souls. Christianity teaches that God will reward them in Heaven.
God Uses Our Wounds
We try to avoid pain, but God wants to use it. God redeems pain and suffering for a greater and glorious good. He allows us to suffer to humble us and make us more Christ-like.
4) It intensifies your negative thoughts. The less you let others know how you feel, the more likely you are to ruminate and allow your inner critical voice spin in your head. 6) It delays treatment. You may hope that this goes away on its own, but if you wait too long, your symptoms may become harder to treat.
Just because God seems silent doesn't mean you should doubt Him or stop praying. God's silence isn't a license for us to turn our backs on Him. Instead, it's an invitation to press forward and seek Him even more diligently. The psalmists modeled crying out to God.
Scripture tells us that silence can help us avoid sinning (Proverbs 10:19), gain respect (Proverbs 11:12), and is deemed wise and intelligent (Proverbs 17:28). In other words, you may be blessed by holding your tongue. Ultimately, refraining from speaking in certain situations means we are practicing self-control.
Galatians 5:21 says, “Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Scripture reminds us that being burdened and despairing of life itself can strengthen our faith (2 Corinthians 1:8–9). This is because the deepest trials make us rely not on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead. The more we endure with Christ and find him sufficient, the stronger our faith becomes.
We find hope at, and beyond, the end of ourselves — at the end of all we can do and say and feel — if we find God there. Suffering produces hope because it shows us, like nothing else can, that we can handle more than we think — with God. In other words, suffering produces endurance.