Suffering is a fact of human experience. It is as much a mystery as human existence itself. From experience we know that suffering is something repugnant to human nature, and hence something we dread and try to evade.

The Christian explanation of suffering is that it is a condition of fallen human nature. In other words, human beings have lost the earlier state of freedom from suffering. The Christian however looks at suffering in a positive way; it can be turned to good for the benefit o the individual as well as of fellow humans.

Christians have before them the example of Christ. Like other human beings, he experienced the pangs of suffering. "If it is possible, let this cup pass by me. Nevertheless, let it be as you, not I, would have it." (Matthew 26:39). In Christ we have a supreme example of the positive value of suffering, for by his suffering and death he saved the world.

Suffering is not caused by God who is the author of all good, but may be permitted by Him for our good, though we may not always see how it benefits us.

Suffering comes to us in various ways:

(a) In the first place, suffering is natural to the human state as it now is. The suffering that comes from illness, injury, toilsome labour etc. is part of human life. "You shall give birth to your children in pain..Accursed be the soil because of you. With suffering shall you get your food from it every day of your life. It shall yield you brambles and thistles" (Gen. 3:16-18)

(b) Suffering comes from occurrence inherent in the universe's natural processes, such natural disasters such as floods, cyclones, earthquakes, drought and famine. Man is not responsible for them.

(c) But there are also sufferings caused by man's deliberate action, sufferings that come from evil deeds committed by him, evil deeds that arise from envy, jealousy, hate, greed, lust etc. Suffering is caused not only by quarrels and feuds but also on a large and destructive scale by war. Man himself is responsible for all this suffering.

From the Christian standpoint, there are several ways in which suffering can be turned to good, and made a blessing.

1. Since we are responsible for deliberate actions that cause suffering, we should strive to avoid them. The Christian should seek the aid of prayer and the sacraments to be spiritually and morally strengthened so as to keep free from evil deeds. This is a positive way of eliminating suffering that is caused by us.

2. A positive advantage of suffering is that it can lead to individual and communal conversion and return to God. The Old Testament gives us many instances of this, when war, famine and other disasters made the Jews realize that they had done wrong in abandoning God, which realization led to their repentance and conversion.

3. Another positive aspect of suffering is that it can be a means of atonement and expiation. This is demonstrated to us by Christ himself. He vicariously suffered for the sins of men in order to obtain for them eternal salvation. Following in his footsteps we ourselves can accept suffering as atonement for our sins and the sins of others.

4. Apart from atonement, there is also the sacrificial aspect of suffering by which we offer God homage and honour. Christ offered his sufferings and death as a sacrifice, which sacrifice is renewed on our altars as a supreme expression of homage to God. Our sufferings could similarly be a way of offering homage to God.

5. Suffering is also a means of self-purification and sanctification. As gold is tried by fire, so we tried by suffering. Suffering is a test of our fidelity to God.

6. Suffering can also be a proof of love. This we see in God's love for us. He gave his son to be offered as a sacrifice for us. "God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life" (John 3:16). It is a great act of charity to suffer for others, and that charity rises to a heroic level when one's life is sacrificed for others. "A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13).

7. Another positive way of meeting suffering is to strive to alleviate it in others. Scientists, medical men, nurses, social workers etc., are engaged in this noble task. It is a service to humanity of the highest order. When the Christian dimension is brought into it we see that alleviation of suffering in one way or another is an expression of Christian charity, which ends in God. "I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink.in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me" (Matthew 25:35,40)

Thus, although man lost the privileged state of being free from suffering and is now a subject to it as part of his present natural condition, suffering is not necessarily an evil, since we convert it to good, especially in relation to our eternal welfare.