Wrestling with Pain, Evil, and Love

In our previous discussion, we explored how love—rooted in the Trinity—provides the foundation for morality. Today, we’re taking a closer look at one of life’s toughest questions: If God is LOVE, how do we make sense of pain, suffering, and evil? This problem has been addressed in so many ways, and, if I'm honest, none of them seem like a good enough explanation when I'm faced with the reality of life's pain - like a child who is the victim of abuse or cancer. At the end of the day, I have to confess that none of my answers are good enough. But what I will share here, is the only thing that brings me hope in the midst of the reality of evil and suffering in this world.

While there are no perfect or easy answers, the Christian faith offers a unique perspective centered on the love of God—a love so profound it meets us even in our deepest pain.

1. No Perfect Answers, but a God Who Cares

Life’s hardships often leave us grappling with profound questions: Why do bad things happen? Why doesn’t God stop evil? While many philosophical and theological answers exist, none erase the ache we feel. And yet, the Christian story assures us of this: God is not distant or indifferent. Instead, He has entered into the human experience, sharing in our suffering and bearing the weight of our pain.

Dorothy Sayers captures this beautifully:

“For whatever reason God chose to make man as he is – limited and suffering and subject to sorrows and death – He had the honesty and the courage to take His own medicine. Whatever game He is playing with His creation, He has kept His own rules and played fair. He can exact nothing from man that He has not exacted from Himself. He has Himself gone through the whole of human experience, from the trivial irritations of family life and the cramping restrictions of hard work and lack of money to the worst horrors of pain and humiliation, defeat, despair, and death. When He was a man, He played the man. He was born in poverty and died in disgrace and thought it well worthwhile.”

The God revealed in Jesus Christ does not observe our pain from afar. He enters into it, carrying the ultimate burden of suffering on the cross. This act of love demonstrates, once and for all, that God is for us, even when life feels unbearable.

2. Love’s Victory Over Evil

The cross of Christ confronts evil and suffering head-on. In Jesus’ death and resurrection, we see a God who does not avoid suffering but redeems it. The resurrection is the promise that pain and death will not have the final word. It declares that God is bringing about a new creation where evil, suffering, and tears will be no more.

This hope doesn’t eliminate our present struggles, but it reframes them. We can endure because we trust in God’s ultimate victory. As Romans 8:38-39 reminds us:

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

3. Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

In the face of life’s uncertainties, God invites us to trust Him—not blindly, but based on the evidence of His love demonstrated on the cross. When we struggle to see His goodness in our circumstances, we can look to Jesus, who walked through the worst this world has to offer and emerged victorious.

Walking by faith doesn’t mean ignoring our pain or pretending everything is fine. Instead, it’s about leaning into a relationship with the One who knows our suffering intimately and promises to lead us through it. Faith anchors us in God’s character—His love, His justice, and His faithfulness—even when answers elude us.

4. An Invitation to Relationship

If you’ve ever felt the weight of suffering or the sting of evil, know this: You are not alone. God sees you, knows your pain, and offers His presence as your refuge. Through Jesus, He invites you into a relationship where love, hope, and purpose transcend even the darkest moments.

Jesus doesn’t promise an easy life, but He does promise His presence. He invites you to bring your questions, doubts, and hurts to Him. In exchange, He offers a love that will never let you go and a hope that shines beyond the grave.

If you’ve never taken that step of faith, consider this your invitation. Trust in the God who suffered for you and walks with you. Let His love transform your pain into a pathway toward healing and hope. 

If you decide to follow Him in faith, consider sharing that decision with a pastor or Christian friend.

Love, as we’ve seen, lies at the heart of morality and the answer to life’s hardest questions. It’s not an abstract idea but a reality embodied in the Triune God. A God who is love, who created us for love, and who redeems us through love—even in the face of pain, suffering, and evil. In Jesus, we find a love so profound it redefines our lives and our world. Will you walk with Him?