Every one of us has passed through moments in our lives where our hearts ache due to our life’s circumstances. Seeing our family suffer due to a financial lack, not being able to pay school fees, or a health issue that has plagued us for years, and the question always weighing heavily in our hearts is this: “Where is God right now?” “If God is good, why am I passing through this tough time?” “If God exists, why do terrible things always seem to happen to me?”

For the past two days, we have established that our God is good. We have been reminded that He is not the author of evil, and his greatest show of goodness is in the salvation plan. We also answered the question “Can God change?” Where we learnt that God is consistently good and does not change.

And today, we are confronting the question many of us have either asked out loud or carried silently in our hearts: “Where is God in our pain?” To answer this, we would remind ourselves why evil still happens despite God’s goodness and what God’s solution to this is.

Romans 3:23
New King James Version
23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

We live in a fallen world, and with the implication of the world with sin, evil entered the world. Hence, sin is the root cause of evil in our world. And unfortunately, every human being is guilty of this sin because when Adam sinned, he represented the entire mankind to come, so we all inherited the propensity to sin. Consequently, we yield to that propensity. And scriptures tell us that the wages of sin is death.

Romans 6:23
New King James Version
23 For the wages of sin is death

Now, if God were to wipe out all evil instantly, wouldn’t he have to wipe us out too? He would have to wipe out the entire earth because we are all sinful.
But God in His love chose a different path. Instead of destroying us, he sent his Son to destroy the power of sin at its root.

2 Corinthians 5:21
New King James Version
21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

God loves you. He became a substitute for you. He became man, suffered, and died; not because he sinned, but because we sinned. Through His death, he paid the ultimate price, and through His resurrection, He broke the power of sin and evil forever.

This is the heart of the gospel: God has already dealt with the root of pain (which is sin) through Christ.

Still, you might ask: “But where is God when I’m hurting?” “Where was He when I faced loss, betrayal, and disappointment?”
The answer is simple: He was right there with you.
How do we know this?

Let’s see what the scriptures say in Hebrews 4:15
New King James Version
15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

God is not distant from your suffering. He has felt grief, betrayal, hunger, injustice, and even death as a man. He is the God who steps into our pain, not one who ignores it.
He is not distant but present.
When you cry, He understands.
When you feel weak, He knows.
He is Emmanuel: God with us.
So, although you may feel overwhelmed when you pass through the valley of the shadow of death and it feels like the walls are looming on both sides to swallow you, remember this: God is right there. He is walking every step of the way with you.

Now, your question should no longer be “Where is God in my pain?” but “How do I respond to pain?” What do you do when you know God is with you but don’t feel like it?

Your response to pain and life’s chaos is important because it has the power to either draw you closer to God or seemingly push you farther away from Him. And we see this radically exemplified in the lives of the Apostles.
Apostle Paul, even after shipwrecks, imprisonment, and beatings, declared:

Romans 8:35, 38–39
New King James Version
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ‬‬

38 ‭‭For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ‬‬‬‬

39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This shows us that your faith should be so solid in Christ that nothing can shake your faith! Nothing at all should move you from your firm foundation, who is Christ, and this means you can control your response. This does not in any way downplay your feelings or mean you should hide your feelings, but it means that during the season of pain, make sure your focus remains on the right thing. Don’t be filled with grumbling, complaining and forget who your actual source is.

God has not abandoned you. He has already dealt with sin, the root cause of all pain, and He walks with you through every moment of suffering. The cross proves His love, and you have victory in his resurrection.

You will always go through tough times because you live in a fallen world, but don’t let it mess with your faith in God and your service to Him.

Rather, it should lead you to a time of deeper consecration and devotion to God because more than ever before, you need the strength and reassurance that can only be gotten in the place of prayer. Let the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and prayer be your strongest allies in your tough seasons; let them comfort you and remind you of your convictions and belief in Christ. If you can’t seem to pray by yourself, this is where the importance of community comes in. Call a sister or brother in Christ and share your pain with them, let them encourage you in the faith.

Repeat the words that God has spoken over you and the prophecies you have received every day! Let God’s good words and promises never depart from your heart and envision the amazing wonders He will wroth in your life. Another thing to do in tough seasons is to sing praises to God and worship him for all that He is set to do. This sets your heart to receive from Him even more.

So, whenever life seems to be falling apart, let your heart posture be faith, not doubt or fear. Trust that the Christ who died for you lives in you by the Holy Spirit and would never leave you. He is working even when you can’t see it, so trust Him and remind your heart of His goodness.

Prayer Point
Father, thank You for being with me in times of pain. Help me to respond in faith and worship. Open my eyes to see Your presence even in my suffering and give me the strength to endure with hope in Christ Jesus.