Suffering: The Mystery of Pain

Suffering is the universal human experience of pain, loss, affliction, and distress. It takes countless forms—physical illness, emotional anguish, relational betrayal, economic hardship, persecution, bereavement, natural disasters, and the slow erosion of aging. In the Abrahamic faiths, suffering raises profound theological questions: If God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving, why does suffering exist? Why do the righteous suffer while the wicked prosper? What purpose, if any, does suffering serve?

The Hebrew word yissurin (יִסּוּרִין) refers to sufferings or afflictions that come upon a person. The rabbis debated whether suffering could be “chastisements of love” (yissurin shel ahavah)—discipline from a loving God intended to refine and purify. Others saw suffering as punishment for sin or simply the tragic consequence of living in a broken world.

In Christianity, suffering is transformed by the cross. Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, suffered and died—not for His own sins but for ours. His suffering redeems our suffering, giving it meaning and purpose. Christians are called to “participate in the sufferings of Christ” (1 Peter 4:13), knowing that suffering produces perseverance, character, and hope (Romans 5:3-4).

In Islam, suffering is a test (bala’, بلاء) by which Allah examines faith. Trials reveal who truly trusts in Allah and who turns away. The response to suffering is sabr (صبر)—patient endurance, steadfast faith, and submission to Allah’s will. The Quran promises: “Indeed, with hardship will be ease” (Quran 94:5-6).

Despite differences in theological interpretation, all three traditions affirm that suffering, though painful and often inexplicable, is not meaningless. God is present in suffering, comforts those who suffer, and will ultimately wipe away every tear (Revelation 21:4). Until that day, believers endure with faith, hope, and the assurance that “our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed” (Romans 8:18).

The Problem of Suffering

Theodicy: Justifying God’s Ways

The existence of suffering poses what philosophers call “the problem of evil” or “theodicy” (from Greek theos, God, and dikē, justice—justifying God’s ways). The problem can be stated as a logical contradiction:

1. God is all-powerful (omnipotent)
2. God is all-knowing (omniscient)
3. God is all-loving (omnibenevolent)
4. Suffering exists

If God is all-powerful, He could prevent suffering. If He is all-knowing, He knows about suffering. If He is all-loving, He would want to prevent suffering. Yet suffering persists. How can these four propositions all be true?

This is not an abstract puzzle but an existential cry. When a child dies, when violence devastates communities, when disease ravages bodies, when injustice crushes the innocent—the question is not academic. It is urgent, agonizing, faith-shaking: “Why, God?”

The Biblical Lament

Scripture does not shy away from this question. The Psalms are full of laments:

Psalm 22:1-2: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest.”

Psalm 13:1: “How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?”

Lament is not lack of faith; it is faith crying out in pain, bringing suffering honestly before God.

The Inadequacy of Simple Answers

Well-meaning but simplistic explanations fall short:

“Suffering is punishment for sin”: While some suffering is consequence of wrong choices, this cannot explain all suffering. Jesus explicitly rejected this explanation for a man born blind (John 9:3).

“God is testing you”: While trials can test and strengthen faith, this doesn’t fully explain gratuitous suffering that seems to serve no purpose.

“Everything happens for a reason”: While believers trust God’s sovereignty and goodness, this can sound glib to someone in agony. Some suffering seems utterly senseless.

“God won’t give you more than you can handle”: This is not biblical (the verse “God will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear,” 1 Corinthians 10:13, is about temptation, not suffering). People are often overwhelmed by suffering beyond their capacity to handle.

The mystery of suffering resists easy answers. Scripture acknowledges this mystery even while affirming God’s goodness.

Suffering in Judaism

Job: The Righteous Sufferer

The Book of Job confronts suffering head-on. Job, a righteous man, loses everything—his wealth, his children, his health. His friends insist he must have sinned; God is punishing him. Job protests his innocence. He demands an audience with God to plead his case.

When God finally appears, He does not answer Job’s “Why?” Instead, He overwhelms Job with questions revealing the vastness of divine wisdom and power: “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?” (Job 38:4). Job realizes his place: “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know” (Job 42:3).

God vindicates Job, rebuking the friends who presumed to explain suffering simplistically. But God does not explain why Job suffered. The lesson: We cannot always understand God’s ways. What we can do is trust His character even when His providence is mysterious.

Job’s response becomes a model: “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised” (Job 1:21). And: “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15). Faith persists even in the darkest night.

The Suffering Servant

Isaiah 53 describes a mysterious “Suffering Servant” who bears others’ sins and sorrows:

“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain… Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering… But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:3-5).

In Jewish interpretation, the Servant often represents Israel itself, suffering for the sins of the nations, persecuted but ultimately vindicated. Christian interpretation sees this as prophecy fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Either way, the text introduces the idea of vicarious, redemptive suffering—suffering that is not meaningless but accomplishes a divine purpose.

Suffering as Discipline

Rabbinic Judaism sometimes speaks of yissurin shel ahavah—“chastisements of love.” Suffering can be God’s fatherly discipline, refining and purifying His people.

Proverbs 3:11-12: “My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”

This perspective sees suffering as potentially redemptive—not punishment but training, like a goldsmith refining precious metal.

The Holocaust: Suffering Beyond Explanation

The Holocaust (Shoah) confronts Judaism with suffering on an almost incomprehensible scale. Six million Jews murdered, entire communities annihilated, unspeakable atrocities. How can faith survive such horror?

Some responses:

• Protest: Elie Wiesel and others expressed anger at God, even accusing Him of being on trial. Faith wrestles with God but does not necessarily abandon Him.
• Martyrdom: The victims are honored as martyrs (kedoshim, holy ones) who sanctified God’s name even in death.
• Mystery: Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote, “I did not lose faith in God during the Holocaust. I lost faith in human beings.” Some suffering is so immense that it resists all explanation. We can only bow in sorrow and cling to faith.
• Covenant persistence: Despite the Holocaust, the Jewish people survived and the State of Israel was established. Am Yisrael Chai—the people of Israel live.

The Holocaust shatters simplistic theodicies. It leaves faith chastened, somber, but—for many—unbroken.

Suffering in Christianity

Jesus: God Suffers with Us

Christianity’s answer to suffering begins with the cross: God Himself entered into human suffering. Jesus was “a man of suffering, and familiar with pain” (Isaiah 53:3). He wept (John 11:35), agonized in Gethsemane (Luke 22:44), and cried out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46).

God is not distant from suffering. He experienced it personally. He knows pain from the inside. This does not explain suffering, but it transforms it. We do not suffer alone. God suffers with us.

Hebrews 4:15: “We do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he was without sin.”

The Cross: Suffering Redeemed

Jesus’ suffering was not meaningless. It accomplished redemption. He bore our sins, absorbed God’s wrath, and reconciled us to God. Isaiah 53 finds its fulfillment: “By his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24).

The cross does not eliminate suffering from the world, but it gives suffering redemptive potential. United to Christ, our sufferings participate in His sufferings and contribute to His redemptive work.

Colossians 1:24: “Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.”

Paul does not mean Christ’s atonement was insufficient. He means that believers, united to Christ, share in His mission and His sufferings.

Suffering Produces Character

The New Testament repeatedly teaches that suffering, though painful, produces spiritual maturity.

Romans 5:3-5: “We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.”

James 1:2-4: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Suffering is not sought, but when it comes, it can be God’s tool for refinement—burning away dross, strengthening faith, deepening compassion.

Participation in Christ’s Sufferings

Christians are called to share in Christ’s sufferings. This is not masochism but identification with Christ and His mission.

Philippians 3:10: “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.”

1 Peter 4:12-13: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”

Suffering for Christ’s sake—persecution, martyrdom, sacrifice—is not tragedy but privilege. It unites believers to their Savior.

Hope: Suffering Is Temporary

Christian hope affirms that suffering, however intense, is temporary. Glory awaits.

Romans 8:18: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

2 Corinthians 4:17: “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

Revelation 21:4: “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.”

This is not escapism—denying present pain by fixating on future relief. It is perspective. In light of eternity, even a lifetime of suffering is “momentary.” The weight of glory will infinitely outweigh every sorrow.

Suffering in Islam

Suffering as Test

In Islam, suffering is fundamentally a test (bala’, بلاء or ibtila’, ابتلاء). Allah tests believers to reveal their faith, purify them, and elevate their rank.

Quran 29:2-3: “Do the people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe’ and they will not be tried? But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.”

Trials distinguish genuine believers from hypocrites. Those who remain steadfast in faith despite hardship demonstrate true iman (faith).

Quran 2:155: “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient.”

Sabr: Patient Endurance

The Islamic response to suffering is sabr (صبر)—patience, endurance, steadfastness. It is not passive resignation but active trust in Allah’s wisdom and goodness.

Quran 2:153: “O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.”

Quran 2:156: When disaster strikes, the patient say, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.”

Sabr recognizes that this life is temporary, that trials serve a purpose, and that ultimate justice and reward await in the Hereafter.

Allah Does Not Burden Beyond Capacity

The Quran assures believers that Allah does not give more than they can bear.

Quran 2:286: “Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear.”

This provides comfort: whatever trials come, by Allah’s mercy they are within the believer’s capacity to endure. Allah provides the strength to bear the burden.

Suffering and Sin

Islamic teaching acknowledges that some suffering results from human sin—personal or collective. Disobedience brings consequences. However, not all suffering is punishment. Even prophets suffered greatly, and they were sinless.

Suffering can also be an expiation of sins. A hadith states: “No fatigue, disease, sorrow, sadness, hurt, or distress befalls a Muslim, not even the prick of a thorn, but Allah expiates some of his sins for it” (Sahih Bukhari).

Reward for the Patient

Those who endure suffering with sabr will be rewarded abundantly.

Quran 39:10: “Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.”

Quran 13:24: Angels will say to those who enter Paradise, “Peace be upon you for what you patiently endured. And excellent is the final home.”

The patient are honored in this life and the next. Their suffering is not in vain.

With Hardship Comes Ease

The Quran promises relief after hardship.

Quran 94:5-6: “For indeed, with hardship will be ease. Indeed, with hardship will be ease.”

The repetition emphasizes certainty. Difficulty is not permanent. Relief will come—in this life or the next.

Comparative Themes

Suffering as Mystery

All three traditions acknowledge that suffering often defies explanation. Job received no answer to “Why?” The cross raises the question of divine suffering. The Quran affirms Allah’s wisdom even when His ways are inscrutable.

Faith does not require understanding all God’s purposes. It requires trust in His character and goodness even in the dark.

Suffering Tests and Refines Faith

All three traditions see trials as potentially purifying.

Judaism: Suffering can be yissurin shel ahavah—God’s loving discipline to refine His people.

Christianity: “We glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance” (Romans 5:3).

Islam: Trials (bala’) test and demonstrate faith, elevating the rank of the patient.

Like gold refined in fire, faith emerges stronger from trials.

God’s Presence in Suffering

All three traditions affirm that God is present with those who suffer.

Judaism: “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

Christianity: Jesus wept with Mary and Martha (John 11:35). God became incarnate and suffered on the cross. “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20).

Islam: “Indeed, Allah is with the patient” (Quran 2:153).

Suffering is not abandonment. God is near.

Hope for Vindication and Relief

All three traditions point to ultimate vindication and the end of suffering.

Judaism: The messianic age will bring justice, peace, and healing. “He will swallow up death forever” (Isaiah 25:8).

Christianity: The resurrection defeats death. The new creation will have no more tears, pain, or sorrow (Revelation 21:4).

Islam: The Hereafter (Akhirah) brings perfect justice. The patient enter Paradise where suffering ends forever.

Present suffering is real and painful, but it is not the final word.

Modern Challenges and Questions

Why Do Children Suffer?

Perhaps no suffering is more agonizing than that of innocent children—birth defects, disease, abuse, death. How can a loving God allow this?

Answers are inadequate. Some appeal to the Fall—sin corrupted all creation, including genetics and nature. Some speak of a broken world where innocent suffer due to others’ sin. Some simply confess mystery and cling to God’s goodness by faith.

What all traditions affirm: God grieves with suffering children. He will wipe away their tears. And those who harm children face severe judgment (Matthew 18:6).

Natural Disasters and “Acts of God”

Earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, pandemics—“natural evils” that kill indiscriminately. Are these God’s judgments? Random chance in an impersonal universe?

Believers affirm God’s sovereignty over nature while wrestling with why He allows disasters. Some see them as consequences of the Fall’s curse on creation (Romans 8:22). Others speak of a world governed by natural laws that sometimes produce tragedy. All affirm that God can bring good even from disaster and that ultimate restoration awaits.

Suffering and Atheism

For many, suffering is the reason for unbelief. If God were good and powerful, suffering wouldn’t exist. Therefore, either God doesn’t exist or He’s not worthy of worship.

Believers respond: Suffering is evidence of the Fall, not evidence against God. The existence of evil presupposes an objective standard of good—which requires God. Moreover, Christian faith uniquely affirms a God who suffered for us, not a distant deity indifferent to pain.

Is Suffering Always Redemptive?

Some suffering seems utterly gratuitous—serving no apparent purpose, producing no visible good. Can we honestly say all suffering is redemptive?

Honest faith acknowledges: We don’t always see redemption. Some suffering seems purely destructive. Yet faith trusts that God can bring good from any evil (Romans 8:28), even when we can’t see it. And faith hopes that in the resurrection, all suffering will be redeemed, all wrongs righted, all tears wiped away.

Significance

Suffering is not an abstract theological problem but a universal human reality. Every person suffers. The question is not whether we will suffer but how we will respond.

Suffering Reveals What We Truly Believe

In prosperity, anyone can claim faith. In suffering, faith is tested. Do we trust God when He seems silent? Do we hope when circumstances are hopeless? Do we praise when everything is taken away?

Job’s faith in the furnace of affliction proved genuine: “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him” (Job 13:15).

Suffering Can Deepen Faith

Though painful, suffering can strengthen faith, deepen compassion, and mature character. Those who have suffered often possess a depth, empathy, and wisdom that the untested lack.

2 Corinthians 1:4: “The God of all comfort… comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Suffering Connects Us to Christ

For Christians especially, suffering is a means of union with Christ. To share His sufferings is to know Him more deeply.

Philippians 3:10: “I want to know Christ… and participation in his sufferings.”

The cross transforms suffering from meaningless pain into sacred participation in Christ’s redemptive work.

Suffering Points to the Hope of Glory

Suffering reminds us that this world is not our home. We long for the world to come where suffering ends.

Romans 8:18: “Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Suffering is the birth pangs of the new creation. It will not last forever.

The Call to Comfort

Those who have been comforted by God are called to comfort others. Suffering produces compassion. The wounded healer ministers to others’ wounds.

We live in a suffering world. We are called to weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15), to visit the sick and imprisoned (Matthew 25:36), to bind up the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:1).

Conclusion

Suffering is a mystery—painful, often inexplicable, but not meaningless. God is present in suffering, accomplishes purposes through it, and will ultimately abolish it.

In Judaism, suffering is acknowledged honestly (the laments), wrestled with courageously (Job), and endured with faith in God’s justice and the coming messianic age.

In Christianity, suffering is transformed by the cross. God Himself suffered. He redeems our suffering and calls us to share in Christ’s sufferings, knowing that glory awaits.

In Islam, suffering is a test that purifies and elevates the patient. Sabr (endurance) is the response, trusting that Allah’s wisdom and mercy are perfect and that reward awaits in Paradise.

All three traditions agree: Suffering is real and painful. God is good and sovereign. These truths must be held in tension, trusting God even when we cannot trace Him.

The final word on suffering is not suffering but glory. The day is coming when “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).

Until then, we endure. We hope. We trust. We comfort one another. And we wait for the dawn when suffering will be no more.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18).