Why does a good and loving God allow us to sometimes experience such heart-wrenching pain and unfair suffering? Does God know that we are hurting? Does He understand our pain?

When you look at it, relationships come with possible peril. God took a chance when He created beings with the ability to choose. Angel Lucifer chose to mutiny when he was still in the heavenly realm. Evicted from the courts of heaven, Satan brought his rebellion to this planet. 

God has given us fair warning that we can expect trial and tribulation in our lives. He knows the number of hairs on each of our heads. So our pain and suffering resulting from these troubles are not hidden from Him. Thus, He calls us to rest in Him. To find refuge in Him. 

In Jesus, our pain has purpose. While affliction was never in God’s original plan, He uses the distressful times in our lives to grow our characters. We don’t need to understand it. We just need to trust that God has an infinite love for us. In this world, for but a short time in the grand scheme of things, the hardships do work for our good. (See Romans 8:28.)