Why Does God Allow People To Suffer?

 Many people today often struggle with doubt and seemingly unanswered questions as to why a good God would “sit on His throne and watch good people suffer on earth”. In fact, this is one of the most commonly stated reasons for why people choose not to have a belief in God. They refuse to serve a “cruel God” and a God “who causes and allows suffering”. They compile an endless list of reasons and then declare that there is no God. Simply because…well… they do not want there to be a God. Not because they have scientific proof. Not because they know it is so. Not because this declaration provides the answers to any of their pressing questions or brings them immeasurable peace. But because they simply do not want to believe in a so-called “imaginary being” or a God who they boldly claim “finds humor in watching people suffer”. 

Sadly, without ever truly finding the answers that they truly hunger and thirst for, they decide to follow the throngs, harden their hearts, fold their arms, and refuse to allow the Word of God to penetrate their way of thinking. Frankly, they will not even open a Bible for themselves yet put great stock in the teachings of “highly-educated” professors and social media influencers who, more times than not, have also never read the Bible or, if they did browse through it, were completely unable to comprehend much of it. 

If we tell ourselves that there is no God and we go with the flow on this topic, then it will answer all of our questions, put to rest all of our confusion, and bring peace to our restless souls…. right? 

You know the answer just as well as I do. That conclusion is still not going to quell the hunger and thirst inside of you. It is not going to provide the answers. In fact, such an empty conclusion creates more questions without definitive answers, more confusion without bringing peace, and a future filled with more uncertainties and ultimately more fears as end of life approaches.

Like a small child who is speaking without having full knowledge and education on an important matter, there are those who speak boldly and with confidence, yet are still somehow unsure all the while, declaring that God could not possibly exist. Why? Because they have not been able to make sense of His existence. Because they need to see in order to believe. They do not comprehend His Word (which oftentimes they have not actually read for themselves) or His way of thinking. And that is exactly where we will begin.

Dear one, you may have endless questions circulating in your head about God right now. Perhaps you are a confirmed atheist, an agnostic, or perhaps even someone who experienced church life in your youth but felt nothing but doubts, confusion and a sense that you did not belong. Perhaps you are now on a quest for truth and answers.

Let's discuss this all in an easy and non-condemning way. Consider me a friend or an acquaintance. Imagine that we are sitting down with coffee or tea and are simply having a discussion. I want this to be a gentle explanation. I'm not forcing you to believe. Just explaining in a way that perhaps may help enlighten and bring much-needed clarity and some answers.

Today we are going to dig deep into the Word of God to learn a little more about why He allows things to happen as they do…. and why He oftentimes allows good people to endure suffering. 

Firstly, it is not possible for mere humans to fully and completely understand every aspect of Almighty God. He is a divine mystery…. and so He should be. He is the Creator. We are the creation. He is the Father. We are the children. He is immortal. We are mortals. So, naturally, He knows more than we do and there is more to God than our earthly minds could ever fully wrap around. His thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are not our ways….

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” - Isaiah 55:8-9 (KJV)

And in Psalms , we find this verse…

“O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.” - Psalms 92:5 (KJV)

Okay, so God's thoughts are referred to as ‘deep thoughts’, which means that there is a lot of care and meaning in them. A deep-thinker is not someone who does anything rashly and without carefully planning and weighing options. A deep-thinker is defined as someone who spends a lot of time analyzing complex ideas and seeking profound meaning. So, with this facet of God's personality as a basis, we can begin to understand that He is quite obviously a God who does not allow anything to happen “just because”. There must be a reason. A purpose. A deep-thinker is classically someone who plans ahead and, if so, prepares for every possible scenario and creates a plan, comes up with a solution, a way to divert troubles, and avoid the worst possible outcomes.

So, with that in mind. We must realize that God does, in fact, think ahead. Over 2,000 years ago, we all know that He sent His Son, Jesus, to be born as a human of flesh and blood. Why? To live amongst us. To suffer as we do. To experience pain as we do. To be tempted and tried as we are. To understand what it is like to be human. To be mocked and to even be rejected as so many of us are. To experience death as we do. 

Did He have to go through all of that suffering? No. He didn't have to do it. But, He wanted to do it. Why? Because He loves us that much. You are likely shaking your head right now, thinking that it just doesn't make sense. A King would actually leave His throne in Heaven and come to a dark, dreary, lonely earth to suffer and die? Yes. Because it was His plan. His perfect plan. A plan of redemption for all of mankind. Why? Because He knew that we needed a way of Salvation. We need to be given a means of rescue from our sins.

Let's take a look at these verses and then highlight some key words….

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” - Hebrews 2:14 (KJV)

Did you read that? Did you notice that last paragraph? It explains that, by experiencing actual suffering of the body, mind and spirit Himself, the Lord is now able to “succour” us. That means that, having gone through similar sufferings, He is now able to better understand us and run to our rescue with exactly the healing relief that we need. Urgent aid. He can bring us the physical and the spiritual relief that we need during times of distress. Physical distress, mental distress, and spiritual distress.

Many times, we discover that our greatest strengths can be found in times of difficulty, times of trouble, times of distress. Some of the biggest lessons we have ever learned have come through times of trial and testing. So, even when things go wrong and it seems like our lives are in collapse, the goodness of God can still be found. His hand is always outstretched and ready to grasp our hands, pulling us up and out of the quicksand to safety. Because He is God, He can do anything. Even what seems altogether impossible. He can save and He can heal. Sometimes through unexplained, miraculous ways.

Yes, He allows people to die. Through all the centuries of time, people have passed away. Some more peacefully than others. Some more tragic than others. But, ultimately… no matter how they perished, their souls left their bodies in the same way… but, sadly, not all have arrived at the same eternal destination. 

As you come to know the goodness of God, you realize that sickness and death does not have to be seen as dreadful or as grim as you once believed. Because death is only the temporal event of the soul exiting its earthly body and entering into its eternal home. If the Lord is your Saviour, then you have nothing to fear…nothing to dread. For the believer, death is not the end. It is the very beginning. It is a beautiful thing, as the darkness and sadness of earth gives way to the Light of the hereafter.

 As a believer, your soul is drawn upward and into Heaven's glorious radiance where you instantly behold the precious face, the gentle eyes, and the open arms of The One who loves you more than any human ever has…ever will… ever could. Because you've accepted His gift of Love, His gift of Righteousness, His gift of Salvation… and you chose to live for Him…. you are welcomed into His Home for all eternity.

If, however, you have never taken the time to know Him…. your outcome will indeed be grim and there is due cause to dread sickness and the horrors of death. 

Does God give any thought to the sufferings of mankind? Does it matter to Him? Does God care? Let's read this verse and find out…

“Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” - Psalm 40:5 (KJV)

According to this scripture, He thinks of us more times than we could ever begin to count. That is a lot. 

There is no mention in the Bible of Him being a humorous God who delights in watching people suffer. It does, however, mention that He laughs at those who commit evil and devise it in their hearts…

“The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.” - Psalm 37:13 (KJV)

Why does He laugh in this case? Because He knows that those who think that they can get away with evil will ultimately meet their end through destruction. 

Does He laugh and find amusement in watching people suffer? Does it give Him pleasure when our hearts are broken? Let's learn more about His personality in this verse…

"The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." - Psalm 34:18 (KJV)

Frankly, if He wanted to, He could allow us all to be completely destroyed for all of the evil that we humans are capable of committing here on earth. But, instead, He has mercy on us. 

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." - Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV)  

He has compassion and mercy for the brokenhearted. If we reach out to Him in our sadness, He will never turn us away. 

“I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” - Psalm 34:4 (KJV)

This sounds like a God who cares. A God who comes to the rescue like a mother when her child falls and scrapes his knee. She carefully wipes off the dirt, gently applies the healing balm, and then soothes him with a hug. She can be protective, careful, and take every precaution possible but she is still unable to completely prevent future scrapes from ever happening. But, she promises to be there for him, to nurse him back to health every time, and to love him.

“As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you” - Isaiah 66:13 (KJV)

“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” - Psalms 147:3 (KJV)

Life comes with its challenges, its heartaches, its anxieties, its losses, its unexpected disappointments. But, that's life. It is bittersweet. But, thankfully, we do not ever have to walk this life on our own. We are never alone. Through it all, there is a God who sees us, hears us, and cares about us. He is not deaf to our cries for help or blind to our needs. He knows. He is just as close as the very mention of His Name. We just need to reach out to Him… call on His name… give Him our cares, our worries, our burdens… and He will hear our voice and come to our aid. Maybe not immediately. Maybe not in the way we thought He should. But, He will work wonders…. in His way and in His perfect timing. Leave your problems with Him and let Him take care of everything.

“Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” - Psalm 55:22 (KJV)

The “righteous” are His people. The ones who have been washed, cleaned, and are “new creations” through Him. That means that they are people who are living for Him. He will never let them go through anything that will utterly destroy them. That doesn't mean that Christians do not get diseases, do not get in accidents, and do not pass away. It simply means that, if you are a true Christian, He will never allow you to go through anything that will cause you to lose faith or leave you hopeless and desolate. He will always be there as your guide to walk you through the fires, through the floods, through the storms, through the earthquakes of your soul. 

“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” - Hebrews 13:5 (KJV)

Frankly, anything and everything that we face can be faced with the certainty that God is with us and will never forsake us. As believers, we can be confident that even if our earthly body should become ill or perish, our souls are safe in His keeping. If we trust Him in the good times, we can also trust Him in the bad times. 

So, yes, bad things can indeed happen to anyone….yes, even to good people. But, then again, are any of us truly “good people”? Before we become too high-minded and haughty, let us remember this verse…

“There is none good but one, that is, God” - Mark 10:18 (KJV)

“They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” - Psalm 14:1 (KJV)

Now, before you stop me and say “Ah, but what about children?” I will quickly remind you that the Bible gives us beautiful assurance about the precious infants and children in our world….

“Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.” - Deuteronomy 1:39 (KJV)

Children have no knowledge of good or evil and therefore go to Heaven. No worries.

As for adults, we do have knowledge of good and of evil. Therefore, we must live responsibly and handle our souls with the greatest of care and concern. Here's what Jesus said…

“Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” - Matthew 18:3

(KJV)

Read that one again. We need to become like an innocent child in order to enter Heaven. Pure and clean. Hence, the term “born again”. Fresh and new.

So, back to our main topic again…

If Jesus, who is completely without sin, could suffer in every imaginable way and then be put to death on a cross…. then who are we to think that we are more important than Him? Who are we to think that we should escape all sadness, if Jesus Himself was known as “a man of sorrow”? Are we greater than the Lord God our Creator?

You know the answer.

Okay, so you're still waiting for an answer as to why God allows people to suffer. 

It all started with Adam in the Garden of Eden. God lovingly and graciously gave Him everything he could ever want or need…including a free will… the opportunity to make his own choices. With that free will, he chose deliberately to be disobedient to God. That act of rebellion and disobedience is how sin entered the world…and, as a result, sickness and death. None of this would have entered the perfect and beautiful world that God created if it had not been for Adam's desire to do something that God distinctly warned him not to do.

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” - Romans 5:12 (KJV)

Perhaps you've heard about a man called “Job” in the Bible? Job was a good man and a righteous man. Yet, he suffered terribly. But, he still trusted God and refused to turn his back on God… no matter what he faced. That is true faith.

“But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” - Job 22:10 (KJV)

And he did come out as gold that has been tried and refined in a fire. Job was blessed beyond measure for trusting God even in the midst of the darkest moments and devastation of his circumstances.

Sometimes, it takes the storms and hardships to better mold us into the kind of people that God wants us to become. As believers, we can thank God for it all. Yes, even the bad times. Because sometimes we can get caught up with the pleasures and the things of this earth and forget our need of God. Therefore, anything that draws us closer to Him, is ultimately for our good. Yes… even the sorrows, the hardships, the losses, the disappointments, the heartbreaks.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” - Romans 8:28 (KJV)

This is how we grow in our faith. How we learn about the goodness of God. It is through those dark times that His Light shines brightest. We may even find ourselves remembering the sad times of our lives with fondness as we know that it was in those moments that we saw the Hand of God at work in our lives. He washes our eyes with tears….so that we can better see.

“And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope." - Romans 8:18 (KJV)

Before you tell me that I don't understand or that I must not have suffered, experienced pain, heartache, or lost anyone to cancer…. let me assure you…. I have. I have experienced it all. 

I will not try to convince you to believe that God is loving, kind, compassionate and good. I will let you come to your own conclusion. I will let the Holy Spirit speak to your heart, your mind and your soul. 

In the Bible, God's “mercy” is mentioned over 300 times. 

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” - Psalm 103:8 (KJV)

“For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.” - Psalm 103:11 (KJV)

“But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.” - Psalm 103:17-18 (KJV)

Just promise me one thing… that you will honestly think about everything that you have read here. You may already feel that you have it all figured out…but please just open your heart to find Truth in all things. Don't settle with hearsay. Don't settle with what the culture around you believes and feeds you. Don't allow yourself to be kissed by lies simply because you cannot handle the Truth. Don't settle for anything less than the 100% Truth.

Keep seeking and you will find the Truth…

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” - Matthew 7:7-8 (KJV)

May God be with you, dear one. I pray that you will find the answers, the peace, the love, and the assurance that your heart truly and sincerely desires. 

But, please remember that life is short. Too short to play games with your soul. The path that you take and the choices that you make today will ultimately determine your destiny…

Choose wisely.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16 (KJV)

“The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.” - Psalm 34:22 (KJV)

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Article: "Why Does God Allow People To Suffer?"

Published: Tuesday, August 4, 2026