5 Verses You Need To Know About Human Suffering

Certainly, everything you've ever learned seems to affirm the idea that human suffering is something we must simply accept. When we look back across millennia, it appears—without much dispute—that this has always been the case.

However, if that were truly so, it would contradict much of what we understand about God—not merely knowing about God, as discussed in 5 Verses You Need to Know About God, but truly understanding His nature. In Defining God, we are encouraged to seek the true source of human suffering by asking: Where is God when we suffer?

To begin, it’s helpful to distinguish between pain and suffering. Pain relates to the physical body. Suffering, on the other hand, is mental and emotional. It occurs when we allow our minds to trap us in thoughts like: “I am worthless,” “I can’t do this,” “I’m doomed,” or “I must control everything,” which only leads to confusion and distress.

But when you define God for yourself—and begin to understand and live according to divine principles—the influence of the ego and its negative patterns begins to fade. As a result, suffering loses its grip on your mind and becomes part of the past.

From a spiritual perspective, Scripture offers deep insights into the origins of human suffering. These verses point to the truth: that suffering is a condition humanity brought upon itself after the creation of goodness. For this reflection, I will be using the New King James Version (NKJV).

Knowing About The Onset of Human Suffering

Genesis 1:31 — Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.

This verse clearly has no connection to human suffering—in fact, it affirms the very opposite. It powerfully grounds my belief that God never created anything but what is good.

If you still have doubts about the meaning of “everything,” let me walk you just one verse further to Genesis 2:1, which says:
"Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished."

As you can see, creation was fully complete—and there was no mention of evil in it. Hold on to this truth deep in your heart as we continue this spiritual journey. I say "in your heart" because if you only keep it in your mind, you might lose sight of it.

Now, can you think of any place in Scripture where God came back to create the opposite of good? If so, please share it with us.

In the same spirit, let’s examine Genesis 2:17:
"But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

This verse does not necessarily mean what it appears to say at first glance. Defining God reminds us of the importance of understanding the intent behind the words—what the author was truly trying to communicate. The issue isn't whether the Scripture is correct, but whether we understand the depth of its meaning.

First, consider this: at the point of completion of creation described in Genesis 1, there is only good. There is no indication that evil exists—so how could there be “knowledge of good and evil”? The phrase likely reflects the cultural and literary expression of the time. It doesn’t imply that God was introducing the idea of evil or warning that it was about to emerge.

The “death” mentioned in this verse is not physical death, but spiritual separation—a loss of connection to divine life and truth. It’s a caution about what may happen if we stray from God's guidance. Therefore, there is no evil to know about.

And with that, we arrive at the second profound verse, which begins to reveal where human suffering truly originated.

Genesis 3:6 — So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

There it is—“he ate”—in direct defiance of God’s instructions. Some religious scholars often place blame on the woman, suggesting she tempted Adam. But let’s be fair: Eve had no direct covenant or command from God—Adam did. Therefore, the core message here is not about blame, but about disobedience and its natural consequences.

Think of it like this: a tree that’s uprooted dies, a runaway child encounters hardship, or a negative mind creates unpleasant emotions in the body. In each case, it's not about punishment, but about cause and effect. The parent doesn’t punish the runaway child; the child simply experiences the natural result of being disconnected. Likewise, God is not punishing us—our suffering arises from separation from His guidance.

This concept remains difficult for many to grasp today, largely because we still don’t fully understand how powerfully the mind governs the body. Defining God explores this further, but it’s also something you can observe and experience for yourself.

This relationship between mind and body has been thoroughly studied. In Power vs. Force by Dr. David R. Hawkins, PhD, research demonstrates that the body resonates positively only with thoughts aligned with truth and goodness. When the body senses a thought that is misaligned with truth, it reacts with discomfort or dis-ease—a signal to return to a state of inner alignment.

Similarly, the scientific community recognizes this mind-body connection. Evan Gordon, PhD, of Washington University in St. Louis, explains:

“People who meditate say that by calming your body with, say, breathing exercises, you also calm your mind.”

Spiritually interpreted, this means: when you calm your mind, your body follows—because the body’s reaction is a reflection of the content of the mind. The mind is the starting point; the body simply interprets and reacts to what the mind holds.

Just as physical pain signals that something is wrong in the body, emotional suffering is a signal that something is misaligned in the mind.

In the verses that follow Genesis 3:6, we see Adam’s reaction—he hides and blames. His response reflects what modern psychology tells us about shame. As noted by Maciej Karwowski in a study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (a branch of the U.S. National Library of Medicine):

“The frequent feeling of shame can eventually form into a trait of shame. Trait shame, in turn, involves negative feelings that are very painful and often crippling, which involve feelings of inferiority, despair, helplessness, and the eagerness to hide personal flaws.” (Andrews et al., 2002)

Instead of returning to God and asking for forgiveness, Adam chose blame and denial. And so often, we—his descendants—do the same. But here’s the good news: you don't have to be a victim of his choices. You can return to God today. You can be forgiven.

So, where is God when we suffer? He is still here—waiting. All it takes is the humility to return, to ask for forgiveness, or to define God anew by letting go of ego.

Or… do you think there might be another reason why we suffer? Please share your thoughts.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned and saw under the sun that—

The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;
But time and chance happen to them all.

When we are filled with low-energy emotions and ego, our behavior often reflects exactly what this verse describes. We start living through competition instead of cooperation, driven by blame and regret. But as we continue reading the verses that follow, the narrator comes to a powerful realization: wisdom rises above all of it.

And when wisdom is combined with love, you truly have everything.

Now, I understand that many people struggle with what “everything” really means—especially when viewed through the lens of the ego. From an ego-driven perspective, “everything” often equates to external success: money, status, control. But once we transcend the ego, we discover that what we've really been searching for all along is peace.

Let me show you how a spiritually inclined person views what are known as the four dimensions of success, compared to someone who is focused on worldly success.

Most people in the world tend to define success based on external achievements. According to Chander Shankar, an Agile and financial coach, success is commonly broken down into these four areas:

• Body, physical and physiological care
• Mind, managing stress and emotions
• Financial, being financially stable, and 
• Relationship, being able to build and maintain understanding in relationships.

In relationships is usually where we would find Spirit, as one has to also be in a great relationship with oneself. But that is okay.

However, Tom Morris from the University Notre Dame’s Magazine gives you the perspective of a spiritually inclined person which focuses on,

• The intellectual dimension aims at truth,
• The aesthetic dimension aims at beauty,
• The moral dimension aims at goodness,
• The spiritual dimension aims at unity.

Well can you be poor in money and relationships with those qualities? You be the judge.

Does this mean we no longer desire wealth? Probably not. But the real question is: What comes first? Would you rather be rich but stressed, or peaceful and then rich?

Many of us also misunderstand the concept of competition. True competition isn’t about comparing ourselves to others—it’s about competing with ourselves. It’s the mindset that says, "I know I can do better than I did yesterday." Meanwhile, the person you're comparing yourself to may not even be aware of their own internal growth—or yours. The point is to focus on your own evolution, not someone else’s appearance.

To highlight the power and value of wisdom:

Proverbs 3:18 — She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her.

This verse is speaking about wisdom—the ability to connect the dots and arrive at peaceful, loving solutions. Wisdom is not just knowledge; it is spiritual insight that guides action with grace.

The true purpose of learning is not merely to accumulate facts, but to discover truth—not just surface-level factual truth, but the deeper spiritual cause behind all things. That cause is Spirit, or God. And when we understand this, we realize there is nothing to fear. Whatever "evil" we may have created in the world or within ourselves can still be overcome by good, as Paul reminds us in:

Romans 12:21 — Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Many of us were taught to fight back—to go on the offensive when we’re wronged. But consider this: no one truly likes evil. Everyone, deep down, wants to be happy.

When we go on the offensive, we risk becoming worse than the very thing we’re fighting against—because that’s often the only way to "win" using the world's standards. History has shown us that this approach only perpetuates cycles of harm and destruction.

But love—true love—neutralizes evil. When you choose to embody love, evil loses its power, and only love remains. This is the principle that Martin Luther King Jr. stood for and practiced. He proved that love is not weakness—it is transformative power.

You can begin practicing this today. Respond to hate, criticism, or negativity with love—and watch as it transforms your relationships and surroundings. It’s not just theory; it works miracles.

Mark 3:29 — “But he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.”

In today’s world, it is no longer Adam’s original sin that troubles us most. Rather, it is that many of us have drifted away from the path of the Spirit. We have not been taught how the Spirit operates, nor how to stay aligned with it.we’ve often been led into teachings rooted in guilt and shame, which weigh heavily on both mind and b

ody.Instead of returning to the forgiveness of God,  Shame breeds feelings of unworthiness and disconnects us from the peace and healing that come through spiritual alignment.

There is an entire chapter in Defining God dedicated to exploring the workings of forgiveness—a process that is foundational to healing. Forgiveness is not about excusing the past; it’s about releasing its hold on us. It is what Defining God calls the act of self-love.

This concept is echoed in stress therapy and trauma counseling. Those who attend psychotherapeutic sessions are often encouraged to stop reliving their past, because the pain they carry is not just the memory itself, but the ongoing attachment to it. True healing comes not from revisiting the wound, but from learning how to let it go.

At its core, forgiveness is freedom—the freedom to live in the present moment, the only time in which life actually happens. You cannot live in the past or the future. You can only live now.

By understanding forgiveness as both a spiritual principle and a practical tool for emotional healing, we reconnect with the Holy Spirit and return to the path that was always meant for us—a path of peace, truth, and love.

And Now, Knowing Tranquility

By now, we understand that everything God created was good, and there is no record of God ever returning to create evil. So, where does evil come from?

A Franciscan author once offered a thoughtful perspective:

“Most human suffering is caused by an abuse of human freedom,” wrote Pat McCloskey in Franciscan Media.

To fully grasp this, we must understand the true meaning of free will—the ability to choose whether or not to align with Spirit. It is the freedom to think and act with goodness… or not.

There is really no neutral ground. As the renowned spiritual teacher Wayne Dyer taught, a thought is either peaceful or not, loving or not. Every moment offers a choice—you decide which thoughts to entertain, and actions always follow thoughts.

This is echoed by Russell M. Nelson, who offers a reminder in his message on Thinking Celestial:

“Here is the great news of God’s plan: the very things that will make your mortal life the best it can be are exactly the same things that will make your life throughout all eternity the best it can be! … I invite you to adopt the practice of ‘thinking celestial.’ Thinking celestial means being spiritually minded.”

Transitioning from a focus on the external world to one grounded in the inner spiritual world isn’t as hard as it seems. The challenge lies in our crowded minds—like a cup full to the brim with thoughts, beliefs, and distractions. 

Some of these may be valuable, others not. But unless we’re willing to empty or clear space, there is no room for anything new—no space for peace, clarity, or divine insight. The difficulty isn’t in the understanding of the new concept but in the willingness to clear space in the filled cup or mind.

So enough with just talking and reading—now is the time to act. If you seek tranquility, a stress-free existence, you must move from knowing about it to actually experiencing it. As we’ve already explored, true knowing comes from doing.

Realizing tranquility—a state of inner calm and mental peace—requires consistent effort, reflection, and discipline. Below are practical steps you can take to cultivate tranquility in daily life:

1. Simplify Your Environment

• Declutter physical spaces to reduce sensory stress.
  
• Keep a tidy room or workspace to promote mental clarity.
  
• Reduce digital noise—limit notifications, organize your phone/computer.

2. Establish Daily Quiet Time

• Set aside 10–20 minutes a day for quiet reflection, free from screens or conversation.
  
• Try sitting in silence, listening to soft nature sounds, or practicing deep breathing.

3. Practice Mindfulness & Meditation

• Engage in mindfulness—pay close attention to your current experience without judgment.
  
• Start with simple meditations (like focusing on the breath) for 5–10 minutes a day.
  
• Try some of Dr. Joe Dispenza’s  meditation or Wayne Dyer’s Japa meditation

4. Disengage from Unnecessary Conflict

• Pause before reacting emotionally in tense situations.
  
• Practice letting go of the need to be right or to win arguments.
  
• Avoid gossip or constant exposure to toxic conversations.

5. Limit Stimulation

• Reduce exposure to the news and social media, especially before bed.
  
• Build tech-free windows into your day (e.g. during meals, early mornings, or evenings).
  
• Embrace boredom sometimes—it's good for recalibrating your mental pace.

6. Get Outside & Move

• Spend time in natural environments: walking in a park, sitting by water, hiking.
  
• Moderate physical exercise helps process tension and improves mood (e.g. yoga, walking, swimming).

7. Align Your Actions with Your Values

• Inner peace is often disrupted by internal conflict—when you're living out of sync with what matters to you.
  
• Clarify your core values, then make small decisions each day that support them.

8. Cultivate Contentment

• Practice gratitude journaling—write 3 things you’re grateful for each night.
  
• Shift from comparison to appreciation: observe when you compare and gently bring focus back to your own life.

9. Keep a Low-Information Diet (Strategically)

• Ask yourself: “Is this information useful, or just anxiety-inducing?”
  
• Be informed but avoid overconsumption, especially of emotionally charged content.

10. Sleep & Nutrition

• Prioritize consistent, quality sleep—it's foundational to emotional balance.
  
• Eat foods that nourish without overstimulating (avoid sugar/caffeine excess).
  
• Stay hydrated.

Bonus: Philosophical Grounding

• Explore Stoicism, Buddhism, or other traditions that emphasize peace of mind.
  
  • E.g. Read: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama, or Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn

Choose any method that works for you, and come back and share your experience with us!

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