If you are asking this because of something that happened to you, please know: nothing on this page is an attempt to justify what you went through.
Some suffering has no meaning to be found in it. Christianity does not require you to pretend otherwise.
What the Church does not say
It does not say that God sends abuse to teach lessons. It does not say harm is 'God's plan.' Evil done by human beings is a violation of God's will, not an expression of it.
What Christians hold onto
That God does not stand outside suffering. That the cross means God has been on the receiving end of human cruelty. That the resurrection means cruelty does not get the last word.
This is not an explanation. It is a presence. For many survivors, it is the only thing that has held.
What Scripture says
- Psalm 22:1
- Matthew 27:46
- Revelation 21:4
Practical next steps
- · If this question is tied to something done to you, the Faith After Abuse section may fit better than this page.