Biblical Answer

The Sovereignty of God in Chronic Pain

The Bible teaches that God is sovereign over all creation, including the natural world. This means that God has the power and authority to create, sustain, and govern the universe, including the laws of nature that govern our bodies. However, this does not mean that God is the direct cause of every physical pain or illness. Rather, God allows certain circumstances to unfold, including the occurrence of chronic pain, in order to accomplish His purposes.

The Purpose of Chronic Pain

While God desires that there should be no physical pain in His creation, He sometimes decides not to intervene and prevent pain from occurring. This is not because He takes delight in physical distress, but rather because He wants to use the experience of pain to teach us valuable lessons about trust, obedience, and perseverance. For example, God gives us the feeling of pain when we injure ourselves in order to help us understand what is harmful. Similarly, God allows chronic pain to occur in order to teach us to trust and obey Him, even when we feel powerless.

The Example of Jesus

The Bible teaches that Jesus, who is God incarnate, personally experienced physical and psychological pain, including the pain of crucifixion. Despite His own suffering, Jesus persevered in faith and trust in His Father, even when He felt like He needed more from God. This example teaches us that even in the midst of chronic pain, we can trust and obey God, knowing that He is sovereign and in control. By trusting in God's sovereignty and goodness, we can find comfort and strength in our pain, even when we do not understand why it is occurring. Ultimately, God's purposes in allowing chronic pain are not always clear to us, but we can trust that He is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).