Have you ever wondered why some people passionately defend the idea that God actively causes suffering?

Imagine someone who has endured deep hardship—maybe a devastating loss or a painful illness—clinging to the belief that "God must have a reason for this."

It's a comforting thought, but is it true?

Many struggle to separate God's goodness from suffering because they've been taught that the two are intertwined.

But what if God's goodness is far greater than we've imagined—completely separate from suffering and always working to bring healing and restoration?

You'll never see Jesus defend, befriend, or send evil—He came to end it. Yet some argue otherwise, as if they know God’s nature better than Jesus Himself. Woe!

Some argue against the nature of God revealed in Jesus, thinking they’re guarding against error by insisting that God creates, partners with, or allows evil.

But by rejecting Jesus' revelation of God—who never did those things—they're already in error.

If our theology contradicts Jesus, our theology needs correction. And that starts with Jesus—the Author and Finisher of our faith.

Evil, disease, and suffering all stem from sin, a fallen world, and a very real enemy—but God works to redeem it all.

So why do some insist that God befriends, defends, and sends what Jesus came to end?

There are deep-seated reasons behind this belief, and understanding them can help us gently guide others toward the true nature of God as revealed in Jesus.

For many, the belief that God causes suffering has been passed down through generations. Trusted pastors, parents, and theologians have reinforced this idea, making it feel like an unshakable truth. To question it can feel like betraying one’s spiritual foundation, making change difficult and even frightening.

“Tradition is the living faith of the dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of the living.” – Jaroslav Pelikan

If suffering is directly from God, then at least it has a reason—there’s order to it. This belief can offer emotional comfort, making pain feel purposeful rather than random.

However, scripture challenges this idea: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17).

While suffering exists, it is not authored by God—He is the one who redeems, restores, and brings beauty from ashes.

This belief provides a sense of control in an unpredictable world. But if suffering isn’t from God, people must face the uncomfortable reality that evil and chaos exist apart from His will, which can be deeply unsettling.

“The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable.” – James A. Garfield

Yet the Bible reassures us: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

Many equate sovereignty with total control, assuming that for God to be truly sovereign, He must actively cause everything—including suffering.

However, Jesus reveals a sovereignty that looks more like self-giving love rather than coercive control.

God’s rule is not about micromanaging suffering but about redeeming and restoring His creation.

“Sovereignty does not mean that everything that happens is God’s will; it means that nothing can stop God’s ultimate will from coming to pass.” – Greg Boyd

The true view of God’s sovereignty is found in Jesus: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being.” (Hebrews 1:3)

Further reading: Why "God is Sovereign" is Pushing People Away from Faith

When someone has spent years defending the idea that God causes suffering, admitting otherwise means reevaluating not just their view on suffering but also their entire theology. It can feel overwhelming to reconsider God’s character, past struggles, and even how they’ve interpreted Scripture.

But Scripture encourages humility and growth: “Test all things; hold fast what is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

For many, assuming God willed their suffering gives their pain meaning. The alternative—that suffering might come from other sources—can be painful to accept because it removes a sense of divine purpose.

It’s easier to believe God orchestrated their hardship rather than wrestle with the idea that it could be due to a fallen world, sin or the enemy.

Yet, Jesus makes it clear: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” – C.S. Lewis

While suffering can be used (redeemed) by God, it is not His design or desire.

Some read the Bible without recognizing Jesus as the full and final revelation of God’s nature (Hebrews 1:1-3). This leads them to interpret God’s character through Job, Moses, or the prophets rather than through Christ.

This is understandable, and I am currently walking with God through some of the things we read in the OT, asking Him to show me how we reconcile the things that seem to contradict His nature revealed in Christ.

It's been an eye-opening reminder of how much we truly are to read scripture with and through the Holy Spirit. In our zeal for theological accuracy, we can forget that this journey of faith is about a living relationship with a living Person—not just an intellectual exercise.

Without this Christ-centered lens, we see a contradictory God—one who both wounds and heals, destroys and restores.

Jesus corrects our understanding: “Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)

Many worry that if we say God doesn’t cause suffering, we risk promoting an easy, feel-good Christianity.

They believe suffering must be part of God's refining process, despite the fact that Jesus never demonstrated this in His ministry.

Jesus never inflicted suffering to teach a lesson; He healed, restored, and revealed the Father’s goodness.

“The Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)

A correct view of God acknowledges that while suffering exists in the world, He is never the author of it.

Consider the story of Jesus encountering the man born blind in John 9. His disciples assumed the suffering was caused by either the man’s or his parents’ sin, but Jesus corrected them: "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him." (John 9:3).

This reveals that God’s role is not in causing suffering but in bringing restoration and healing. Instead of orchestrating pain, He steps into it, redeems it, and turns it for good.

The true nature of God is always to restore, never to harm. Instead, He is the one who rescues us from it and redeems it for good.

God’s nature is fully revealed in Jesus Christ. He is good, kind, loving, and just. He does not cause suffering but enters into it with us, bringing healing and restoration. He is not a distant dictator but a loving Father who desires life and goodness for His children.

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

Jesus never once inflicted suffering—He only healed, restored, and freed people. When faced with sickness, oppression, or loss, He didn’t tell people to endure it as part of God’s plan—He acted against it.

In Matthew 8:2-3, when a leper asked if Jesus was willing to heal him, Jesus replied, "I am willing. Be clean!" His ministry was a direct revelation of God’s heart—one that opposes suffering, not causes it.

If we want to know what God is like, we simply need to look at Jesus.

Ultimately, people defend the idea that God causes suffering because it feels safer, more familiar, and aligns with their past experiences.

But Jesus invites us into a fuller, truer understanding of the Father—one where God is always good, always redeeming, and never the author of suffering.

Related reading:

• Does God Create Evil? Answering Isaiah 45:7

• God Doesn't Use Evil: The Lie in Eden That Still Deceives Us Today

• The Bible Contradicts Itself—And You Better Not Fall For It

• The Suffering Syndrome: Blaming God for the Devil’s Work

• Is God Actually Like Jesus? The OT and God's Nature

• "God Allowed It" – The Phrase That's Twisting God's Goodness