God Always Intends Our Good

Catholics believe that humans were created to exist in harmony with God and others yet through the disobedience of sin we lost the fulness of that intended relationship. This rupture causes us misery.

Some misery is a consequence of our own sinful actions as prideful pursuits harm ourselves and/or others. Other misery is caused by our callous indifference to the suffering of those around us — which is another manifestation of the ruptured harmony God intended.

Nonetheless, God desires our good in such a way that even human misery can lead to greater goodness. This occurs when suffering motivates us to repentance and greater dependence on God and grace. God uses everything, even misery, to call us back to right relationship.

Because of our limited human view, we do not always understand the greater good God desires by permitting our misery. However, the scriptures are full of redemptive experiences of suffering.