Where Is God in All of This? — Finding Hope in the Midst of Suffering

“Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”

— John 11:21

When the Heart Asks “Why?”

Suffering has a way of stirring the most profound questions in the human heart. Like Martha at the tomb of her brother Lazarus, we cry out, “Lord, if You had been here…” Grief and loss make us wonder where God is when everything seems to fall apart.

This struggle isn’t new. Every generation faces pain, injustice, and tragedy—and every generation asks the same question: Why does God allow this?

The Origin of Evil and Suffering

Scripture reveals that all evil—moral and natural—began with disobedience to God. Sin entered the world through Adam, and death came with it (Romans 5:12). From that moment, both humanity and creation have borne the marks of rebellion.

Moral evil arises when people refuse to love God and their neighbor. Every act of violence, greed, and abuse traces back to sin’s corruption. Natural evil—disease, disaster, decay—reflects the brokenness of creation itself, cursed after the fall (Genesis 3:17–19).

Why God Allows Evil

One of the hardest truths of faith is that God allows evil because He allows choice. Being made in God’s image means having free will. Without freedom to choose, there could be no love, no obedience, and no real humanity.

God could eliminate evil instantly—but doing so would also erase human freedom. Instead, He works patiently to redeem His creation, offering forgiveness, transformation, and hope through Christ (John 1:14).

The God Who Weeps

When Jesus came to the tomb of Lazarus, He didn’t preach a lecture on theology—He wept. “Jesus wept” (John 11:35) is one of the shortest but most profound verses in Scripture. It reveals a Savior who not only cures sorrow but shares in it.

Jesus grieved with Martha and Mary. He felt their pain and entered into their suffering. In that moment, humanity and divinity met—God Himself mourning the cost of sin and death. He is not distant or indifferent. He is a God who sits beside us in our darkest moments.

Death Is Not the End

The Bible calls death “the last enemy” (1 Corinthians 15:26). It was never part of God’s original design. But because of Jesus’ resurrection, death’s reign is temporary. Paul writes that all of creation groans in anticipation of the day when it will be “delivered from the bondage of corruption” (Romans 8:21).

That day will come. Christ’s resurrection is the promise that every tear will be wiped away, every sorrow healed, and every grave defeated. “Death is swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54).

Where Is God Today?

So where is God in all of this? He is right beside us. He is the God who weeps with us and the God who acts for us.

He entered this broken world, bore our pain, died for our sins, and rose again to make all things new. When tragedy strikes, we may not understand His reasons—but we can trust His heart.

As believers, our hope rests not in the absence of suffering, but in the presence of a Savior who transforms it into glory.

When you cannot see His hand, trust His heart. When you ask, “Where is God?” remember—He’s right where He’s always been: with us.