Where Is God in Our Suffering? Discovering His Presence Through People and Pain

07/25/2025 • View profile

Where Is God in Our Suffering? Discovering His Presence Through People and Pain

INTRODUCTION

Overview

We are all gift from God. As Mother Teresa once said, “Some people come into our lives as blessings. Some come into our lives as lessons.” This statement reminds us that people can be the visible image of the invisible God. He becomes present through the love we share with one another.[1]However, according to Emmons & McCullough (2004), stated that we sometimes neglect the attitude of gratitude. Sometimes we did not appreciate the presence of others when we are in pain. In moments of suffering, confusion, or loss, we often find ourselves asking: Where is God? When prayers seem unanswered and pain overwhelms, God may appear distant or silent. Yet, it is precisely in these times that His true character is revealed—not always through miraculous signs, but often through the quiet presence of others, through acts of compassion, and through the strength He gives us to endure.[2]

Theological Problem

The theological problem of this study is: How can we understand God's character when we need Him most especially when He seems absent, distant, or silent?

Thesis Statement

This study seeks to explore God's character of His love, faithfulness, and nearness especially during times of need. By reflecting on Scripture, Church teaching, theological insight, lived experiences, and reflection, we aim to understand how God makes Himself known when we are most helpless, and how His presence continues to work even when He seems unseen.

BODY 1: DIALOGUE

Biblical Foundation

Hospitality to Strangers

Hebrew 13: 2

Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.[3] When we are overwhelmed by pain and suffering, we begin to pray. But sometimes, it feels as if God’s presence is absent or silent. In Hebrews 13:2 invites us to recognize that divine encounters may happen even through strangers, reminding us that God’s care often comes in quiet, surprising forms. God may seem invisible or absent, but He becomes visible through acts of love.[4] This statement is supported by CCC 1878 (Catechism of the Catholic Church) noted that Love of neighbor is inseparable from love for God. In times of need, God’s character (love, compassion, presence) is often made known through the people He sends into our lives.[5] In addition, human beings are created for relationship for us to see the characters of God. Just as God is a communion of Persons (Trinity), we are called to live in communion with God and with each other. Every person contributes to this communion, making each life a gift to others.[6] This is reinforced by passage from 1 John 4:12 “No one has ever seen God. Yet, if we love one another, God remains in us, and his love is brought to perfection in us.[7]” As 1 John 4:12 teaches, ‘If we love one another, God lives in us. Meaning, God’s love becomes real in times of need through the people He places in our lives. [8]This passage can be supported by CCC # 357 and it is stated that being in the image of God the human possesses the dignity of a person, who is not just something, but someone capable of self-knowledge, of self- possession and of freely giving himself and entering into communion with other persons.[9] God may be present in hidden ways, through unexpected people or moments. It reflects the idea that God’s character is at work even when we don’t realize it. Therefore, human has the capacity to freely give oneself to others. This giving of their presence, love, service makes each person a gift to the other. We are not meant to live for ourselves alone, but to live for ourselves in love to others. In this way, each of us becomes a gift.[10]

Books and Articles

Pope John Paul II gave us encyclical to address the topic of suffering. He stated that human suffering is a universal human experience and profound mystery. As we people, who feel suffering, we might ask “why there is suffering?” And Pope John Paul II is very clear in his thoughts that it is deeply rooted in the human heart and is tied to the mystery of evil.[11] In addition, Jesus gives suffering a new meaning through His passion. By suffering out of love, Christ transformed suffering into a means of redemption. In connection on God’s character, we the Church, as the Body of Christ, shares in the redemptive mission through its members who suffer. As a member of the Church our response to suffering should be compassion, solidarity, and love. These responses reflect God's character as revealed in the fullness of human experience.[12] In the Theology of Disability, George Ayer highlights Fr. Timothy Gallagher’s insights on spiritual awareness. He is encouraging us to become more spiritually aware to the inner movements of our souls. This attentiveness allows us to recognize God’s presence not only in moments of joy and peace but also in times of spiritual agony and suffering.[13]According to The Psychology of Gratitude (Emmons & McCullough, 2004) noted that positive emotions or gratefulness has powerful effects on one’s personality and emotional well-being. Gratitude is essential role in the lens of grace because it keeps us away from self-pity and draws us deeper in the communion with God. Grateful people tend to be more creative in their efforts to care for others, suggesting that gratitude broadens our ways of thinking and deepens our capacity to love.[14]If we nurture the attitude of gratitude amidst of suffering, this attitude allows us to reveal something more profound God’s enduring faithfulness and compassion. Gratitude helps us recognize that, even in brokenness, God is present and active. It opens our hearts to see His character more clearly: a God who walks with us, who redeems suffering, and who invites us into a deeper relationship shaped by trust, humility, and hope.[15]

Moreover, when we are experiencing pain and suffering let us remind our self that God is real. Even, God is a reality independent of and transcendent to human life in all its forms. This statement proves that He is beyond and greater even of that pain. [16]If we are positive in emotion, we will become creative and formulate actions that promote the well-being in us. With this attitude of gratitude, we can able to see God everywhere and anybody. And we can realize that He sends people into our lives to communicate His message that He will never abandons us, no matter the challenges we face. In this way, every person may be seen as a reflection of God’s presence. [17] Supported by this statement, “God’s magnanimous, overflowing love.”[18] This means that God’s love is unconditional and eternal care for all creation specially when pain overwhelms. It implies that God’s love is not small, limited, or selfish but full of grace, forgiveness, and mercy. It pours out generously to everyone, even when we don’t deserve it.[19]

Furthermore, Bronfenbrenner’s theory explains in recovering from the agony of pain, the environmental systems can strengthen the well-being and healing of a sick person.[20] He proposed the five the environmental systems which are Microsystem, Mesosystem, Exosystem, Macrosystem and Chronosystem. These systems teach us that supporting the sick is not just medical task but a holistic. This theory involved the person’s relationships, social systems, culture, and even history. In short, healing require the cooperation of the entire ecosystem surrounding the person.[21]

BODY 2: REFLECTION

My voice and my lens

Suffering is one way for us to be closer to Christ. If you have noticed, the closer you get to Jesus Christ, the more we see the imperfections in our own life. As we walk with the Lord, we grow in knowledge, understanding, and self-awareness. Through these experiences, we are given valuable opportunities to understand God's character more deeply. I can relate this to our didactic sessions on Traumatic Healing: A Pastoral Response to Tragic Incidents by Rev. Saa, it was mentioned that some people who have experienced suffering such as abuse, drug addiction, abandonment, and lack of love is still remain trapped in their trauma. Because of their condition, it is very difficult for them to comprehend the presence of God. As a CPE student, I aim to frame their painful experiences with spiritual clarity and hope. Based on what I understand from my papers and one of our didactic sessions with Rev. Pai, God was present even in that dark moment, and He has never left. Though His presence is hidden and it seems quite He was there not as the cause of the pain, but as the one who suffered alongside. With our cooperation with His grace, He can bring healing, He can take even the deepest wounds and raises up, transforming our pain into testimony. He is the source of strength and hope for others who still trap in their own darkness. The sacrificial love He offers reveals God's character to us and stands as a deep, yet realistic, mystery of our faith.

My answer to my theological problem: Understanding Suffering and God’s Character

We come to understand suffering more deeply when we recognize that God is active and present in the world. He listens to our prayers. He does not lie. He is kind, forgiving, faithful, and compassionate. He does not condemn, blame, or accuse. Instead, He comforts those who suffer and works through our actions toward others. These are just a few of God's characteristics. However, if we truly desire to feel His presence, we must make a mindful effort to seek Him. One way to do this is by nurturing an attitude of gratitude—that is, being thankful even for the simplest things, such as someone’s presence. In doing so, we become instruments through whom others can see and experience God. God dwells in us. He became flesh and chose to offer His sacrificial love to humanity. His message is clear: He will not abandon us. Therefore, I have learned that one way to understand God’s character is through the environmental systems around us especially the people in our lives and develop an attitude of gratitude, truly the people around us are gifts, and the visible images of the invisible God. They reflect His love and presence, and they help shape us, guide us, and draw us closer to Him.

My Personal Encounter in CPE’s duty in Talay Behavioral Center

My encounter with Fen made me realize the importance of the people around us. God sends people into our lives to communicate His message. Their presence is a simple yet profound reminder that God will never abandon us, no matter what challenges we face. He does not leave us to figure things out alone. He surrounds us with people who are meant to reflect His love, His truth, and His guidance. From her statement that “Grabe ko pasalamat sa akong bana brother. Tan awa karon sege syag panawag nako. Sege pangamusta. Tama jud ka makita nato ang Ginoo pinaagi sa mga tao. Murag gipadala niya bro ba para dili guro ko maglisod. Pasalamat man sad ko dere kay naa man sad mi madawat gikan sa mga nursing students nagbisita dere. Maluwas luwas pod among kinahanglan sa adlaw-adlaw.” I’m really so thankful for my husband, brother. Look at him now — he keeps calling me and constantly checking on me. You’re right, we can truly see God through the people around us. It feels like God sent him to me so I wouldn’t have to struggle so much. I’m also grateful here because we receive help from the nursing students who visit. Somehow, it helps us with our daily needs.

From our conversation, I learned to appreciate those who have journeyed with me—those who served as the ladder I climbed to reach my goals. I would not be who I am today without them. I truly believe God had a purpose in bringing each person into my life like my supervisor Rev. Edwin, my chapmates, and even my roommate, Pastor Zac. Each evening, I feel free to talk with him and share what’s in my heart. His presence has brought me peace.

My Personal Encounter in CPE’s duty in Youth Homes

After listening to Ved the youth I encountered, I realized how dangerous it is to normalize everything. It revealed the deep confusion many young people carry—confusion about what is true and appropriate, what is meant for children and what is meant for adults.

In our conversation, he shared troubling thoughts. He claimed that drugs are simply medicine, basing his beliefs on what he sees on social media or in his home environment. At one point, he even said to me, “Nakagamit pod ka ana, ya no?”—implying that I, too, had used marijuana or even shabu. He also asked, “Naka-ana pod ka, ya?”—suggesting I had already experienced sexual activity. These remarks were not just shocking; they were revealing. They exposed the destruction of moral clarity among the youth. For many of them, what they repeatedly see—whether it’s drug use, violence, or sexual promiscuity—becomes normalized.

This experience made me realize something important about God’s character. When those people like the family or the community fail to model what is right, young hearts are most affected. The environment that should guide them toward what is true and good ends up leading them to confusion and false beliefs.

CONCLUSION

Our journey through suffering reveals a profound theological truth: God makes Himself known not only through Scripture and doctrine but also through the faces and lives of those around us. As 1 John 4:12 reminds us. “no one has ever seen God. Yet. If we love one another, God remains in us, and His love is brought to perfection in us.” This love becomes most visible in times of sickness, when the presence and support of others reflect God’s compassion and faithfulness.

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory affirms this by reminding us that human development and even spiritual growth happens within layers of relationships, from our immediate family to the wider community. These social environments either nurture or destroy our understanding of God’s character.

I saw this reality clearly in my CPE encounter with Fen, who, through her suffering, came to recognize the important role of the people around her. She realized that in her most difficult times, the care, presence, and love of others became a tangible reflection of God’s grace.

This experience also led me to reflect that God is a loving Father, a compassionate guide, and a source of truth. He does not abandon us in confusion or darkness. He listens, He understands, and He invites us to seek what is good, true, and beautiful.

On the side of Ved, I also witnessed the other side of the story, when families and communities fail to model love, integrity, and truth, it leaves young hearts confused, wounded, and become weak to false beliefs about themselves, others, and even God. In addition, if we abuse the gift of freedom and fail to recognize His presence within us, we stray into moral blindness. We lose sight of the sacredness of life and the dignity that He has placed in each of us. Also, without proper discernment, we risk accepting things that go against His truth. When we allow sin and suffering to take root without question, we not only harm ourselves but also fail to reflect the image of God that dwell within us. That is why our role as mentors, parents, and members of the community is so essential. We are called to reflect God's character: His patience, His mercy, and His truth. We are instruments of His presence in the lives of the young. Their environment matters—and so do we. If they constantly see love, respect, and moral clarity around them, they will come to know God, not just as a distant idea, but as Someone real, present, and actively shaping their lives.

Thus, we are called to recognized, nurture, and be grateful for the people God gives us- those who reflect His love, even imperfectly. But we are also challenged to become, for others, those familiar faces of graces. In doing so, we help reveal God’s presence in the world, especially to those who suffer silently, searching for His reflection in the people around them.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ayer, G., The Discernment of Spirits - An Ignatian Guide to Everyday, St. Therese’s Vision for Disability Giftedness, A book review, Accessed on June 3, 2025, https://theresesdisabilitygiftedness.com/news/the-discernment-of-spirits-an-ignatian-guide-to-everyday-living-part-i

Brown, R. E. S.S.,. Fitzmyer, J. A. SJ., & Murphy, R. E., O.Carm., THE NEW JEROME BIBLICAL COMMENTARY, ®1990, 1968 by Prentice Hall, Inc. A Division of Simon & Schuster Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 07632

EMMONS, R. A & MCCULLOUGH, M. E, The Psychology of Gratitude, Oxford University Press, 2004, Copyright © 2004 by Oxford University Press, Inc. Published by Oxford University Press, Inc. 198 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016 www.oup.com https://dl.icdst.org/pdfs/files4/4076702af7f750e40dc353542cf67f96.pdf

Evans, Olivia Guy-, MSc (2025), Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, reviewed by Saul McLeod, PhD, © 2025 Simply Psychology — All rights reserved, accessed on June 14, 2025, https://www.simplypsychology.org/bronfenbrenner.html

Pope John Paul, CCC # 1878, Catholic Church. (2000). Catechism of the Catholic Church: revised in accordance with the official Latin text promulgated by Pope John Paul

Pope John Paul, CCC # 357, Catholic Church. (2000). Catechism of the Catholic Church: revised in accordance with the official Latin text promulgated by Pope John Paul

Pope John Paul II, Salvific Doloris Latin for the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering (1984), Accessed on May 12, 2025, https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_letters/1984/documents/hf_jp-iiapl_11021984_salvifici-doloris.pdf

Rasmussen, Joel D.S. (ed.) et al. (2017), Immanence and Transcendence, The Oxford Handbook of Nineteenth-Century Christian Thought, accessed on June 12, 2025, Published: 10 August 2017, https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198718406.013.33

Valles, Msgr. Romulo G. (2021), Becoming Jesus’ Missionary Disciples, issued by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), accessed on June 14, 2025, https://cbcponline.net/becoming-jesus-missionary-disciples

[1] Yolanda Hadid, Brainy Quote, Yolanda Hadid Quote, Copyright 2001-2025, Accessed on May 12, 2025, https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/yolanda_hadid_872005
[2] EMMONS, R. A & MCCULLOUGH, M. E, The Psychology of Gratitude, Oxford University Press, 2004, Copyright © 2004 by Oxford University Press, Inc. Published by Oxford University Press, Inc. 198 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016 www.oup.com https://dl.icdst.org/pdfs/files4/4076702af7f750e40dc353542cf67f96.pdf
[3] Hebrew, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2025) United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Accessed on June 11, 2025, https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/13
[4] Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Joseph A. Fitzmyer, SJ., & Roland E. Murphy, O.Carm., THE NEW JEROME BIBUCAL COMMENTARY, ®1990, 1968 by Prentice Hall, Inc. A Division of Simon & Schuster Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 07632
[5] CCC # 1878, Catholic Church. (2000). Catechism of the Catholic Church: revised in accordance with the official Latin text promulgated by Pope John Paul
[6] Ibid.
[7] 1 John, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, ©2025 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Accessed on June 11, 2025 https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1john/4
[8] Leander E. Keck, et. Al., The New Interpreter’s Bible, A Commentary in Twelve Volumes, Volume XII, copyright 1998, Abingdon Press, 201 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville,TN 32203. Pg. 430
[9] CCC # 357, Catholic Church. (2000). Catechism of the Catholic Church: revised in accordance with the official Latin text promulgated by Pope John Paul
[10] Ibid.
[11] Pope John Paul II, Salvific Doloris Latin for the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering (1984), Accessed on May 12, 2025, https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul ii/en/apost_letters/1984/documents/hf_jp-iiapl_11021984_salvifici-doloris.pdf
[12] Ibid.
[13] George Ayer, The Discernment of Spirits - An Ignatian Guide to Everyday, St. Therese’s Vision for Disability Giftedness, https://theresesdisabilitygiftedness.com/ Accessed on June 3, 2025
[14] EMMONS, R. A & MCCULLOUGH, M. E, The Psychology of Gratitude, Oxford University Press, 2004, Copyright © 2004 by Oxford University Press, Inc. Published by Oxford University Press, Inc. 198 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016 www.oup.com https://dl.icdst.org/pdfs/files4/4076702af7f750e40dc353542cf67f96.pdf
[15] Ibid.
[16] Joel D.S. Rasmussen (ed.) et al. (2017), Immanence and Transcendence, The Oxford Handbook of Nineteenth-Century Christian Thought, accessed on June 12, s2025, Published: 10 August 2017, https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198718406.013.33 Pages 111–126
[17] EMMONS, R. A & MCCULLOUGH, M. E, (2004)
[18] Msgr. Romulo G. Valles (2021), Becoming Jesus’ Missionary Disciples, issued by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), accessed on June 14, 2025, https://cbcponline.net/becoming-jesus-missionary-disciples/
[19] Ibid.
[20] Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc (2025), Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, reviewed by Saul McLeod, PhD, © 2025 Simply Psychology — All rights reserved, accessed on June 14, 2025, https://www.simplypsychology.org/bronfenbrenner.html
[21] Ibid.

Where Is God in Our Suffering? Discovering His Presence Through People and Pain

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