Biblical Answer

The Problem of Pain: A Biblical Perspective

The question of why God allows pain and suffering is a complex and age-old issue that has puzzled people for centuries. From a biblical perspective, God desires that there should be no physical pain in His creation, and He takes no delight in physical distress. However, in certain instances, He decides not to prevent pain by a special act of His own. This raises the question of whether God could have created the world in such a way that evil intentions or evil results would not occur, or whether He could have intervened to prevent pain.

The Purpose of Pain

From a biblical perspective, pain is not the primary problem, but rather a symptom of a deeper issue - sin. When we experience pain and suffering, it is often a result of our own sin or the sin of others. However, pain can also be a means of drawing us closer to God. When we are in pain, we may feel hopeless and question God's love and forgiveness. But in these moments, we have the opportunity to turn to God for help and to seek His forgiveness. God uses pain to employ strategies like repentance, humility, and trust. He also uses pain to bring us to the end of ourselves and to the point of surrender, where we can cry out to Him for help.

God's Sovereignty and Love

Some people may wonder why God allows pain and suffering, especially if He is all-powerful and all-loving. However, God's sovereignty and love are not mutually exclusive. God's sovereignty means that He is in control of all things, including pain and suffering. But His love means that He is committed to our ultimate good, even if that means allowing us to experience pain in the present. God's ultimate goal is not to remove all pain, but to bring us to Himself and to give us the power to trust and obey Him, even in the midst of suffering. As the Bible says, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). Ultimately, God's love and sovereignty are not in conflict, but are perfectly harmonious.