Does God exist and who is He?

This may be the most honest and difficult question you can ask. If God is good and all-powerful, why is there so much pain? It’s not just a philosophical puzzle but for many people a deeply personal.

The Bible doesn’t sidestep this. It begins with a world God called “very good,” then shows how human rebellion introduced brokenness by disobeying God. Sin, death, and suffering then entered a world that was never meant to hold them. Much suffering flows from human choices: war, injustice, cruelty. Some comes from living in a fallen natural world. God does not always prevent these things, but that doesn’t mean he is absent or indifferent.

Scripture also shows that God can bring meaning and even redemption out of suffering. Joseph, sold into slavery by his own brothers, later said: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.” Job lost everything and wrestled with God in raw anguish. God did not ignore him but met him there. The Psalms are full of lament. God is not afraid of our anger or our questions.

Most profoundly, Christianity offers something no other worldview does: a God who entered our suffering. Jesus was not shielded from pain as he was betrayed, beaten, and crucified. He knows what it is to suffer unjustly. And through his death and resurrection, he promises that suffering will not have the final word.

We may not get every answer in this life. But we are not alone in the pain.

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
— Romans 8:28

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
— Revelation 21:4

Further Reading:

• Got Questions – Why does God allow the innocent to suffer?
• Desiring God – How can God be sovereign and good and allow suffering?
• CBCD – Understanding suffering