Why Does God Allow Suffering if He is Good and All-Powerful?

Scripture:

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.

 — 2 Corinthians 4:17

Message:

Many stumble here: “If God is good, why is there pain? If He is powerful, why doesn’t He stop it?” To the natural mind, suffering feels like contradiction — but in the spirit, suffering is often the pathway to glory.

Understand this: God never authors evil, but He permits suffering because it accomplishes what comfort never could. Comfort keeps us attached to the earth; suffering loosens our grip so we cling to eternity. Comfort makes us self-reliant; suffering drives us to our knees. Comfort blinds us to the reality of sin; suffering awakens us to our desperate need for God.

When suffering entered the world through sin, God did not abandon humanity. Instead, He chose to redeem suffering itself. On the Cross, Christ did not bypass pain — He embraced it, transforming it into the very weapon of salvation. That is why suffering in God is never meaningless. Every tear, every battle, every crushing moment becomes raw material for transformation when surrendered to Him.

Sometimes suffering is discipline — shaping us, purging us, calling us back to Him. Sometimes it is preparation — training us for spiritual authority. Sometimes it is intercession — sharing in the groan of creation until God’s Kingdom breaks through. And often, it is mystery — not to be explained, but to be endured in trust, knowing that God is weaving eternal purposes beyond what we can see.

Here is the key: Suffering without God breeds bitterness, but suffering with God births power, character, and glory. That is why Scripture dares to call trials “light and momentary” — because when compared with eternity, even a lifetime of pain is nothing compared to the weight of glory it produces.

So, suffering is not evidence that God has abandoned you; it is proof that He is preparing you for something weighty in Him. The greater the calling, the deeper the crushing. But out of the crushing flows the oil that changes generations.

Golden Nugget:

Suffering in God’s hands is never wasted. It is the furnace where flesh dies, faith grows, and destiny is refined.

Further Study:

• Romans 8:18–28

• Hebrews 12:5–11

• Philippians 3:10

Prayer:

Lord, I do not always understand the pain I walk through, but today I choose to trust Your wisdom. Use every trial to shape me, every tear to water my destiny, and every crushing moment to release Your glory. Let my suffering not be wasted, but let it produce Your eternal purpose in me. Amen.

Activation Challenge:

Identify one painful area in your life right now. Instead of asking “Why, Lord?”, begin to ask “What are You producing in me through this?” Write it down, and declare that suffering will not break you — it will build you.