Enduring pain and loss with hope in God's ultimate plan.
1. The Biblical Definition of Grief and Suffering
The Bible does not deny grief or minimize suffering. It names them, explains them, and then places them within the larger frame of God’s redemptive purpose.
Key Biblical Words
Hebrew (Old Testament)
אָבַל (’aval) – to mourn, lament, express grief (e.g., Genesis 37:34). This is grief expressed outwardly.
πάθημα (pathēma) – suffering, something undergone, often associated with Christ’s sufferings (Romans 8:17; 1 Peter 4:13).
Biblically, grief is the right and honest response of the heart to loss, pain, or brokenness in a fallen world. Suffering is the experience of pressure, pain, or affliction in body, soul, or circumstances.
Yet Scripture never stops at definition. It adds a crucial dimension: hope in God’s ultimate plan.
“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” (1 Thessalonians 4:13)
Notice:
We do grieve.
But we do not grieve like the hopeless.
Biblical grief is real sorrow anchored in real hope. Suffering is not meaningless chaos; it is suffering within the sovereignty and goodness of God, who works “all things together for good” (Romans 8:28).
2. Old Testament Foundation: Grief and Suffering in Israel’s Story
The Old Testament is honest about pain. God’s people are not spared sorrow, but they are given promises and presence in the midst of it.
a) The Patriarchs: Grief in Covenant
Abraham grieved the loss of Sarah (Genesis 23:2). He wept, yet he was still the man of faith who believed in God’s promises beyond death (Hebrews 11:13–19).
Jacob mourned Joseph (Genesis 37:34–35), thinking he was dead. His grief was deep and prolonged. Yet God was working a hidden plan of salvation through Joseph’s suffering (Genesis 50:20).
Already we see a pattern: God is at work in and through grief, even when His people cannot see it.
b) Job: The Mystery of Righteous Suffering
The book of Job is a theological foundation stone for understanding suffering.
Job is righteous (Job 1:1), yet he suffers catastrophic loss—family, health, wealth.
His friends wrongly assume suffering must be a direct punishment for sin.
Job pours out raw lament, yet refuses to curse God (Job 1:21; 2:10).
Key truths:
Suffering is not always a direct result of personal sin.
There is often a spiritual dimension (Job 1–2) beyond what we see.
God eventually reveals Himself, restores Job, and vindicates his faith (Job 42:5–6, 10).
Job shows us that God does not always explain suffering, but He reveals Himself in it, and that is enough.
c) The Psalms: Spirit-Inspired Lament
The Psalms are full of grief and anguish, yet they model faith-filled lament.
“My tears have been my food day and night” (Psalm 42:3).
“How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?” (Psalm 13:1).
Yet many psalms end with trust: “But I have trusted in your steadfast love” (Psalm 13:5).
God Himself gave Israel language for grief in worship. That means:
Grief is not unbelief when it is brought honestly to God.
Lament is a pathway to renewed faith, not a denial of it.
d) The Prophets: Suffering with a Future Hope
Israel’s national suffering—exile, loss, judgment—is interpreted by the prophets as:
The result of sin and covenant-breaking (Jeremiah 2:13).
Yet not the end of the story. God promises comfort and restoration.
“He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted… to comfort all who mourn… to give them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning.” (Isaiah 61:1–3)
Isaiah 53 introduces the Suffering Servant:
“A man of sorrows (mak’ov), and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3).
He bears our griefs and carries our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4).
The Old Testament thus prepares us: God’s ultimate answer to grief and suffering will come through a Person who suffers with and for us.
3. The Fulfillment in Christ: Jesus and Our Suffering
In Jesus, God does not merely speak about suffering—He enters it.
a) Jesus: The Man of Sorrows
He wept at Lazarus’s tomb (John 11:35).
He groaned in spirit, deeply moved by death and the grief of others (John 11:33).
He lamented over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41–44).
In Gethsemane, He was “very sorrowful, even to death” (Matthew 26:38).
Jesus shows us: grief is not a lack of faith. The sinless Son of God wept, agonized, and felt the crushing weight of sorrow.
b) The Cross: Redemptive Suffering
At the cross, Jesus fulfills Isaiah 53:
“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4).
“He was pierced for our transgressions… and with his wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
His suffering is:
Substitutionary – He suffers in our place for sin (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Representative – He enters human pain fully, identifying with us (Hebrews 2:14–18).
Victorious – Through suffering, He destroys the one who has the power of death (Hebrews 2:14).
The cross means:
Our guilt is dealt with.
Our griefs are carried by One who understands.
Our future is secured in resurrection hope.
c) The Resurrection: Hope Beyond the Grave
Jesus’ resurrection is not just a happy ending; it is the pattern and guarantee for us.
“Because I live, you also will live” (John 14:19).
He is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20).
For the believer:
Death is real, but it is not final.
Grief is real, but it is temporary.
Suffering is real, but it is not worthy to be compared with the glory to come (Romans 8:18).
Christ’s victory reframes all our pain: we suffer in the light of resurrection.
4. The Power for Today: The Holy Spirit in Our Grief and Suffering
This is where a continuationist, Spirit-filled perspective is vital. We are not left to endure grief by sheer willpower. The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11) is present, active, and powerful in our suffering.
a) The Holy Spirit as Comforter
Jesus calls the Spirit “another Helper” (Paraklētos) in John 14:16–17.
Paraklētos means:
One called alongside to help, comfort, strengthen, advocate.
The Spirit:
Indwells us (1 Corinthians 6:19).
Comforts us in all our affliction (2 Corinthians 1:3–4).
Pours God’s love into our hearts (Romans 5:5), especially needed when we are broken.
This is not theoretical. Many believers testify to a tangible sense of God’s presence in their darkest moments—an inner strengthening, a supernatural peace “which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).
b) The Spirit and Supernatural Peace, Joy, and Hope
Romans 15:13 is crucial:
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Notice:
Joy and peace are not merely emotions; they are Spirit-empowered realities.
Hope is not wishful thinking; it is abounding by the Spirit’s power.
Even in grief, the Spirit can:
Release peace that does not match our circumstances.
Impart joy that coexists with tears (2 Corinthians 6:10 – “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing”).
Anchor us in confident expectation of God’s goodness.
c) The Spirit and the Fellowship of Christ’s Sufferings
Philippians 3:10 speaks of:
“the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.”
By the Spirit:
Our sufferings are joined to Christ’s, not isolated events.
We are conformed to His character—humility, obedience, compassion.
We experience a deeper intimacy with Jesus in the valley than we often do on the mountaintop.
The Spirit uses suffering to:
Refine our faith (1 Peter 1:6–7).
Strip away self-reliance (2 Corinthians 1:8–9).
Produce perseverance, character, and hope (Romans 5:3–5).
d) The Spirit and Miraculous Intervention
As continuationists, we must affirm: God still heals, delivers, and intervenes today.
Jesus bore not only our sins but also our sicknesses (Matthew 8:16–17, quoting Isaiah 53:4).
The gifts of healings and working of miracles are for the church age (1 Corinthians 12:9–10).
We are commanded to pray for the sick (James 5:14–16) and to expect God to move.
This means:
In suffering, we do not resign ourselves to fate. We ask boldly for healing, deliverance, restoration.
We may not always see the miracle we desire, but we are never wrong to stand in faith on God’s promises.
Even when full deliverance is delayed, the Spirit often releases partial relief, strength, prophetic encouragement, and tangible comfort.
We live in tension:
We contend for miracles.
We endure with faith when answers are delayed.
We trust that God’s ultimate plan is good, whether in this age or the next.
e) Authority of the Believer in Suffering
Our suffering does not cancel our authority in Christ; it often clarifies and deepens it.
We are seated with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6).
We overcome the enemy “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation 12:11).
Even in grief, we can resist the devil (James 4:7), reject lies, and stand in truth.
The Spirit empowers us to:
Refuse bitterness and offense.
Break agreement with despair and hopelessness.
Declare God’s Word over our situation with authority.
5. Practical Application: Walking Through Grief with Hope
Here are 5 concrete, Spirit-filled steps.
1) Bring Your Grief Honestly to God
Pray the Psalms. Use Psalm 13, 42, 88 as templates.
Speak plainly: “Lord, I feel abandoned… I don’t understand… I’m angry… I’m afraid.”
Do not sanitize your pain before God. He already knows (Hebrews 4:15–16).
Faith is not pretending you’re not hurting; faith is bringing your hurt to God.
2) Invite the Holy Spirit to Comfort and Fill You
Daily, pray something like:
“Holy Spirit, I welcome You into my pain. Comfort me. Reveal Jesus to me. Pour the love of God into my heart. Give me Your peace and hope.”
Then:
Wait quietly in His presence (Isaiah 40:31).
Expect Him to speak through Scripture, a gentle inner witness, or prophetic encouragement from others.
If you pray in tongues, use that gift often (1 Corinthians 14:4) to edify your inner man when words fail.
3) Stand on God’s Promises and Speak Them Aloud
Identify key promises (see section 6) and declare them:
“Lord, You are near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). You are near to me now.”
“All things are working together for my good (Romans 8:28), even what I don’t understand.”
“You will wipe away every tear (Revelation 21:4). My grief is not the end of the story.”
Speaking the Word:
Renews your mind (Romans 12:2).
Pushes back the enemy’s lies.
Aligns your heart with God’s perspective.
4) Stay in the Body of Christ and Receive Ministry
Isolation intensifies suffering.
Stay connected to a Bible-believing, Spirit-filled community.
Ask for prayer and laying on of hands (James 5:14–16).
Allow others to carry you when you feel weak (Galatians 6:2).
Often, the Spirit’s comfort comes through the hands, words, and presence of other believers.
5) Expect God to Redeem Your Pain
Do not waste your suffering. Ask:
“Lord, how do You want to use this to shape me?”
“How can this pain become a testimony of Your faithfulness?”
In time, you will find:
Greater compassion for others who suffer (2 Corinthians 1:3–4).
Deeper authority in prayer.
A testimony that brings hope to others.
You may not see all the answers in this life, but you can choose now to believe that God is weaving even this into a story of redemption.
6. Key Scriptures with Brief Commentary
1) Romans 8:18
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
Paul does not deny suffering; he relativizes it in light of eternal glory. This verse anchors us: what is coming is so weighty that our present pain, though real, is not the final measure of our lives.
2) 2 Corinthians 1:3–4
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort…”
God is personally involved in our affliction as the “God of all comfort.” His comfort is not only for us; it equips us to minister to others with authority and empathy.
3) Psalm 34:18
“The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
This is a promise of proximity. In seasons when God feels far, this verse declares the opposite: He is especially near to the brokenhearted.
4) Isaiah 61:1–3 (fulfilled in Luke 4:18–21)
“…to bind up the brokenhearted… to comfort all who mourn… to give them a garment of praise instead of a faint spirit.”
This is Jesus’ mission statement. He is not indifferent to grief; He was anointed specifically to heal hearts, comfort mourners, and replace despair with praise.
5) John 16:33
“In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Tribulation (thlipsis) is guaranteed, but so is Christ’s victory. We face suffering not as victims of chaos, but as those united to the Overcomer.
6) 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14
“…that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again…”
We do grieve, but our grief is infused with resurrection hope. The death and resurrection of Jesus are the unshakable foundation for hope in the face of loss.
7) Revelation 21:3–4
“…He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more…”
This is the final word on suffering. Every tear will be personally wiped away by God Himself. No more death, mourning, crying, or pain. Our present grief is real, but it is temporary; this is our certain future.
Grief and suffering are unavoidable in a fallen world, but in Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit, they are never meaningless. You are invited to:
Bring your pain honestly to God.
Receive the Spirit’s comfort and power.
Stand on God’s promises.
Stay connected to His people.
Expect Him to redeem your story.
Your tears are seen. Your suffering is not wasted. And the One who is “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” walks with you, now and until every tear is wiped away.