When Life Hurts

Read

Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain…”

Think

Pain has a way of stopping you mid-sentence. You can be moving through your day just fine – the coffee is hot and the to-do list is doable – and then the phone rings. The text comes. The news drops. Suddenly it feels like the air has been sucked out of the room.

When that happens, the questions hit hard. If God is loving, why would he let this happen? If he is powerful, why does he not stop it?

The Bible never pretends suffering is simple, but it does give us a bigger story to hold on to. In the beginning, God made a world that was very good (Genesis 1:31). There was no sickness, no death, no fractured relationships. But when humanity chose to go its own way, everything changed. The perfection was broken. And ever since, the ripple effects of that moment have touched everything from hospital rooms to headlines to our own homes.

Some pain comes from living in a broken world. Some comes from the choices people make. Some is just mystery. But God’s answer to our pain is not mainly an explanation. It is his presence.

Job’s story proves this. He lost his health, his wealth, and his children. His friends tried to explain it all away. But when God finally spoke, he did not give Job a neat, bullet-pointed reason. He gave Job himself. And that was enough to steady him again.

We get glimpses of this in everyday life. A friend sitting beside you at the funeral who says almost nothing, but their presence helps you breathe. A parent holding their child through a thunderstorm. The lightning still flashes, the thunder still crashes, but the fear is quieter because the parent has not left.

Jesus did the same for us. He did not stand at a distance from human suffering. He stepped right into it. He wept at Lazarus’ tomb, even though he knew resurrection was minutes away. He felt the crushing weight of dread in Gethsemane, even though he knew the cross was not the end. He hung between two criminals, bleeding and gasping for breath, even though he was the one who spoke the world into existence.

And the resurrection changes everything. Revelation 21:4 is not wishful thinking. It is a promise from the One who defeated death. A day is coming when there will be no more crying, no more pain, no more loss. God himself will wipe every tear from your eyes. He won’t just explain your pain, he will erase it.

Until then, we hold onto this: pain is temporary, his presence is constant, and eternity is certain.

Maybe your storm is right now. The medical report was not what you hoped for. The relationship fell apart. The prayer has gone unanswered. You may not understand the why, but you can trust the Who. The God who bore the nails is holding you. The Shepherd who walks through the valley is leading you. The King who will one day make all things new is with you now, even here.

Apply

If you are hurting today, take a step toward God that is honest and unpolished. Tell him exactly how you feel, even if it is messy. Invite someone you trust to carry part of the weight with you, whether through prayer, conversation, or simply sitting together in silence. Find a visible way to keep the promise of Revelation 21:4 in front of you this week so you remember that your pain has an expiration date and your hope is secure.

Pray

God, I do not always understand pain, but I want to trust you in it. Remind me that you are near when life hurts. Hold me steady and help me look forward to the day when you make all things new. In Jesus’ name. Amen.