Biblical Answer

Is God still good if I'm suffering?

The question of whether God is still good if we are suffering is a complex and deeply personal one. The Bible teaches that God is perfectly loving and sovereign, and yet we experience suffering in our lives. It's natural to wonder if God's goodness is diminished or compromised by our suffering. However, the Bible also teaches that God's goodness is not limited by our circumstances. In Romans 8:28, we are told that "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose." This verse suggests that even in the midst of suffering, God is working all things together for our good.

One way to understand this is to recognize that God's goodness is not necessarily dependent on our physical or emotional well-being. In fact, the Bible teaches that our suffering can be a means of spiritual growth and development. In Romans 5:3-4, we are told that "suffering produces perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope." This means that even in the midst of suffering, God is working to produce good in us, even if we can't see it at the time. Additionally, the Bible teaches that God's goodness is not limited by our circumstances, but is instead a fundamental aspect of his nature. In Psalm 107:1, we are told that "let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe." This verse suggests that even in the midst of suffering, God is still good and redeeming.

It's also worth noting that the Bible teaches that suffering is a result of living in a sinful, fallen world. In Romans 8:22-23, we are told that "we were groaning by the Spirit himself, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved." This means that our suffering is not necessarily a direct result of God's actions, but rather a result of the sin and brokenness that exists in the world. In this sense, God's goodness is not diminished by our suffering, but is instead a reminder that he is working to redeem and restore us, even in the midst of hardship. Ultimately, the Bible teaches that God's goodness is not something that can be measured by our circumstances, but is instead a fundamental aspect of his nature that is available to us regardless of what we are going through.