Chronic pain is unfortunately a common human experience. It can arise from various physical ailments and diseases, or even from emotional trauma. Regardless of the cause, living with chronic pain day after day can be wearying and discouraging. During difficult seasons of prolonged pain, it’s common to wonder if God cares or if there is any hope or help to be found in His Word. Thankfully, the Bible contains many encouragements and instructions for those dealing with chronic pain.
God understands our pain
A foundational truth is that God identifies with our suffering. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus was tempted and tried in every way, just as we are. Isaiah 53:3 prophetically described Christ as “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.” God chose to take on human flesh, experiencing the full spectrum of human emotions and physical distress. He understands what we go through.
We see God’s empathy demonstrated poignantly in John 11:33-35, where Jesus wept with Mary and the Jews before raising Lazarus from the dead. The Scripture says Jesus was “deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled” by their mourning and pain. He identifies and hurts with our hurts. The Creator of the nerves that transmit pain signals knows what suffering feels like. We can take comfort that no one understands like He does.
God cares about our pain
Beyond just understanding our pain theoretically, God cares deeply about our suffering. 1 Peter 5:7 instructs us to cast all our cares upon the Lord, “for he cares for you.” Jesus repeatedly demonstrated this caring heart during His earthly ministry. When two blind men approached Him for healing, Jesus was “moved with compassion” and restored their sight (Matthew 20:34). He had pity on the leper in Mark 1:41. He saw the hungry crowds as “sheep without a shepherd” and was moved to teach and feed them (Mark 6:34). Over and over, Scripture shows Christ’s heart of care and compassion toward those in pain and distress.
As Christians, we don’t serve an aloof or passive God. Psalm 145:14 beautifully declares His compassionate spirit: “The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.” He is near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). When we hurt, He hurts. When we suffer, He cares.
God hears our cries
The Bible contains many examples of godly men and women crying out to God in their pain, expressing agony of body and soul. David frequently poured out his complaints and anguish to the Lord throughout the Psalms (Psalm 6:6-7, Psalm 31:9-10). Job asked God to have pity on him in his affliction (Job 6:9). Hannah was deeply grieved about her infertility and “wept and would not eat” as she prayed (1 Samuel 1:7,10). God does not ignore or condemn our honest cries. Rather, Scripture says He collects and stores our tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8). He welcomes our sincere prayers amid suffering.
In fact, Hebrews 4:16 invites us to “approach the throne of grace with boldness” to receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Just as loving parents respond when their child cries for help, our compassionate Father listens and answers our prayers when we call on Him in pain. We can have confidence that He hears us, understands our troubles, and will answer according to His perfect will.
God strengthens and comforts
One of God’s major roles as a loving parent is to console and uphold His children during trials. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 describes God as the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction.” When we are at our weakest, His strength is made perfect and most evident (2 Corinthians 12:9). The Holy Spirit, the Comforter, advocates and shelters believers emotionally and spiritually during our most trying times (John 14:16-17).
Throughout Scripture, God faithfully reminds His people over and over again, “fear not, for I am with you” (Isaiah 41:10). He promises never to leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6), shielding us under the shadow of His wings when we hurt (Psalm 91:4). Truly every word of His is proven true. For those who take refuge in Him, God becomes an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1), a rock of strength and stability when everything seems to be crumbling.
God uses pain for purpose
Though God does not cause all pain, He does allow trials for good reasons we cannot always understand. We do know that He uses hardship to refine our faith like gold (1 Peter 1:6-7), pruning and shaping our lives to become more like Christ. God permits pain to transform us into clearer reflections of Him, build our godly character, teach us to depend more fully on Him, and equip us to minister to others (2 Corinthians 1:4). Romans 5:3-4 teaches that suffering produces perseverance, character, and hope.
God also uses chronic pain to draw us nearer to Himself. Psalm 119:71 says affliction taught the psalmist God’s law. Pain redirects our focus to seek God’s face. Human frailty keeps us humble and dependent on the Spirit’s strength. Suffering teaches what truly matters, purifies motives, reminds us of our eternal hope, and motivates us to invest in heavenly rewards. For the believer, pain has redemptive potential when surrendered to God’s workmanship.
God will heal and reward our faith
Though healing does not always come quickly or fully on earth, Scripture promises that God will ultimately heal and reward those who remain faithful through chronic pain. Revelation 21:4 assures that one day in eternity, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” In our glorified state, suffering will cease.
James 5:10 encourages believers to look to the Old Testament prophets as examples of perseverance through hardship. Just as God sustained them, He will strengthen our faith now and bring it to completion one day. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 contrasts present, temporary afflictions with the coming, permanent glory to be revealed. Any pain endured faithfully now produces immeasurable blessings in eternity. Romans 8:18 confirms, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
Chronic pain can feel unrelenting and demoralizing in this life. But God promises deliverance and reward soon. Revelation 22:12 tells us Jesus is coming quickly, and “his reward is with him, to repay each one for what he has done.” Take heart that God sees your pain, cares deeply, and will soon justly compensate your persevering faith.
Finding hope and help in Christ
To properly handle chronic pain, we must firstly present it to the Lord and seek His supernatural help. But we also have a responsibility to steward our bodies wisely. 1 Corinthians 6:19 reminds us that our physical bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. As such, we should aim to care for them as best as possible.
It can be tempting to isolate when in chronic pain. But God created us for community and places believers in the body of Christ to help bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). Seeking medical insight, physical therapy, counseling, support groups, and prayer partners can provide well-rounded help, comfort, and perspective.
Though rest is needed during flares of pain, gentle exercise suitable for current abilities can help manage pain levels without worsening inflammation. A healthy diet fuels the body and avoids foods that trigger inflammation. Hot/cold therapy as recommended by doctors can ease pains. Massage therapy releases tension. Ergonomic accommodations at work or home protect overtaxed muscles and joints. Pacing activities prevents overdoing it.
Spiritually, studying Scripture washes our mind in God’s encouragement and equips us to handle sufferings wisely. Prayer invites God’s supernatural strength into weakness. Worship redirects focus to eternity. Serving others gets eyes off oneself. Giving thanks emphasizes blessings over hardships. Depending on the Spirit’s power lightens the load. God cares and has provided multifaceted hope and help for those enduring chronic pain.
Learning to be content
Chronic pain can breed discontentment as we become focused on what once was or could be. Learning to be content despite limitations requires continually surrendering hopes and expectations to God’s plan. Paul gives us a great example in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 after asking God to remove his “thorn in the flesh” three times. God simply said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul realized that he must be content with affliction and weaknesses so that the power of Christ could dwell in him.
Being at peace with chronic pain does not mean passively accepting dysfunction or ignoring needs. But it does require releasing constant striving or demanding complete restoration on our own terms. As we yield patiently to God’s refining process, we choose to rejoice in Him and find sufficiency in His daily grace, regardless of each day’s pain level. In quietness and trust is our strength (Isaiah 30:15). We can be content in Him.
Hope through persevering faith
Living joyfully with chronic pain seems like a contradiction. But the apostle James says to actually “count it all joy” when we face various trials that test our faith (James 1:2). This is not natural or easy. But we can choose to rejoice in God’s steady presence and trustworthy promises which never fail. As we surrender ourselves and our pain daily to Him, He fills us with supernatural hope and comfort far greater than our suffering.
We can rest, as David did, in knowing that God will lead and eventually deliver us from every affliction (Psalm 34:19-20, Psalm 138:8). We wait patiently for the Lord’s salvation (Psalm 37:9) because of His unfailing love (Isaiah 30:18). Scriptural hope produces perseverance through long seasons of pain (Romans 5:3-4). As we walk by faith, drawing strength from Christ, we are assured that He will carry us through if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).
By God’s help and power, we can live vibrantly through chronic pain. His presence enables us to rejoice in suffering, surrender control, trust His working, and hope in His deliverance. As we choose to suffer well, our lives point more compellingly to the great hope and glory to come.