Suffering? Where is God?

God With Us: The Answer to Suffering

Suffering is one of the deepest mysteries of life. Why does it exist? Why does God allow it? These questions have troubled believers and skeptics alike. Yet, as people of faith, we find our answer not in explanations but in God’s presence. The heart of Christianity is the promise that God is with us—not as a distant observer, but as a compassionate companion walking alongside us, even in the darkest moments.

The Promise of God’s Presence

The Psalms, the prayer book of the Bible, echo with cries of pain and questions of suffering. King David laments, “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?” (Psalm 13:1). Yet, even in his despair, David clings to hope, proclaiming, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

Suffering doesn’t separate us from God; instead, it reveals His nearness. In Psalm 23, David famously declares, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” The presence of God transforms suffering. It doesn’t always remove the pain, but it gives us strength, hope, and purpose in the midst of it.

Mother Teresa’s Dark Night of the Soul

One of the most profound examples of finding God in suffering comes from Mother Teresa. Despite dedicating her life to serving the poorest of the poor, she experienced a prolonged “dark night of the soul.” In letters revealed after her death, Mother Teresa described feeling an absence of God’s presence for decades. Yet, this perceived distance didn’t stop her from pouring out her life for others.

Mother Teresa’s response to her own suffering was to love others more deeply. She once said, “If I ever become a saint—I will surely be one of ‘darkness.’ I will continually be absent from heaven—to light the light of those in darkness on earth.” She saw Christ in the suffering of those she served, echoing Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:40: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.”

Her life teaches us that even in the silence, God is at work. Her “dark night” became a source of solidarity with the poor and suffering, reminding us that God often reveals Himself in the faces of those in need.

God With Us: Emmanuel

The ultimate answer to suffering is found in Emmanuel—God with us. In Jesus Christ, God entered into our broken world and bore its pain. He wept at Lazarus’s tomb (John 11:35), healed the sick, and suffered on the cross. God didn’t stay distant; He came close, experiencing the depths of human pain so that we would never face it alone.

The cross is a reminder that suffering is not meaningless. Through His resurrection, Jesus conquered sin and death, offering us the hope of a future where “there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4). Until that day, His presence sustains us.

Suffering Transformed by Love

Mother Teresa’s life shows us that suffering, while painful, can be transformed by love. When we respond to suffering with compassion, we reflect the heart of God. Whether it’s holding the hand of a dying loved one, feeding the hungry, or simply listening to someone in pain, these acts of love bring light into the darkest places.

God’s promise is not that we won’t suffer, but that He will be with us in it. As Isaiah 43:2 reminds us, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.”

Living in the Promise

If you’re walking through suffering today, take heart in this truth: God is with you. His presence may not erase the pain, but it can give it purpose. Like David, you can cry out to Him in your darkest moments. Like Mother Teresa, you can respond with love to those who suffer. And like Jesus, you can trust that redemption is always possible.

Suffering is not the end of the story. God’s presence—Emmanuel—is the answer that brings hope, healing, and light. Let us walk in that promise, knowing we are never alone.