Why Do the Righteous Suffer?

Dylan Stewart

A frequently raised question by those who are of no religious persuasion is the question, “Why do the righteous suffer?” Many cannot fathom why God would punish someone who believes so strongly in Him and tries to serve Him faithfully. What these individuals fail to realize is that Jesus also suffered for us. “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (1 Pet. 2:21). God sent His own son to suffer for us, so if we experience suffering on earth, we should not feel anger or resentment towards God. Instead, we should feel blessed to endure pain for God and our Savior’s sake because we know that there is a crown of righteousness laid up for those who endure the pains experienced in life and live their lives faithfully serving God and our Savior. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Psalm 34:19). We need to be like Moses, who the Hebrew writer describes as “choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin” (Heb. 11:25). We must realize that if we indulge in earthly pleasures here, we will not have the chance to enjoy the righteous pleasures in Heaven.