Why does God allow suffering?

It’s one of the deepest questions every human heart asks. When things fall apart—when illness hits, relationships break, or life throws unexpected curveballs—it’s natural to wonder: Did I do something wrong? Is God punishing me?

The disciples asked Jesus the same question when they saw a man born blind: “Who sinned, this man or his parents?”

Jesus’ answer changes everything.

Suffering isn’t proof that God is angry, and it’s not karma keeping score. Instead, Jesus reveals a God who is a loving Father...one who can bring incredible good even out of pain.

And the ultimate answer to suffering isn’t a philosophy. It’s the cross.

God didn’t stay distant from our pain. He entered it.

If you’re going through something hard right now, I hope this reflection will help you see suffering in a completely new light—and remind you that even in pain, God is working for your good.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Chris talks about three ways people explain suffering: chance, karma, or God bringing good from it. Which of these explanations do you see most often in the world today?
2. The disciples asked Jesus, “Who sinned, this man or his parents?” Why do you think we instinctively assume suffering must be someone’s fault?
3. How does the Cross of Jesus change the way Christians understand pain and suffering?
4. Chris says Jesus didn’t suffer so we wouldn’t have to, but so we would know how to suffer. What do you think that means in practical terms?
5. Is there an area of suffering in your life right now where you might need to trust that God is bringing a greater good?

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• (00:00:00) - Karma and the Problem of Suffering
• (00:05:31) - How to Love When You're Sick

Jeremy Rivera was an evangelical pastor who was convinced Catholics didn't really know Jesus.

Then he became one.

In this new episode, Jeremy shares how honest conversations about authority, Mary, and the Eucharist led him back to the Catholic Church—and why true renewal begins with a personal encounter with Jesus Christ.

His journey to the Catholic Church didn't start with theology—it started in the shower on Christmas Eve, 1985, when a 10-year-old boy cried out to God in the middle of his parents' divorce and felt the Holy Spirit show up. His mom, sensing something had happened, pulled a handmade Italian crucifix from under the bed—a Christmas gift she wasn't going to give until morning—and handed it to him on the spot.

That crucifix is still in his kitchen today.

But the road from that moment to the Catholic Church was anything but straight. We unpack Jeremy's winding journey: losing his faith in college, a crisis pregnancy and abortion that brought him to his knees, and the theological questions that nearly kept him from ever becoming Catholic.

We also discuss what the Church gets wrong about evangelization, why most Catholics have never been "ambushed by Jesus," and how an unexpected encounter with the scent of roses in a FOCUS chapel broke through his deepest resistance—Mary.

Whether you're a cradle Catholic, a skeptic, or somewhere in between, this conversation will challenge and encourage you.

HIGHLIGHTS:

0:00:00 — Intro

8:00 A powerful encounter with God at age 10

13:00 Abortion, Romans 5:8, and radical conversion

17:30 Surf ministry, seminary, and church planting

23:40 The restlessness that wouldn’t go away

28:00 Meeting Archbishop Chaput

31:50 “I want to ask your forgiveness.”

37:00 Mary: the greatest hurdle

40:00 The fragrance of roses

47:30 Tradition vs. traditionalism

55:00 Do you actually know Jesus?

1:09:00 A prayer of surrender

Learn more about Jeremy Rivera: https://thelittlej.com

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• (00:00:00) - Chris Stefanik
• (00:01:08) - Jeremy Rivera on Non-Catholic Confessions
• (00:02:43) - Does God Think Catholics Are Going to Hell?
• (00:03:53) - Religion and the Apology
• (00:07:15) - What brought you to the Catholic Church?
• (00:09:55) - Mission: Mission of Joy
• (00:15:43) - Reveal: The Prodigal Son
• (00:20:02) - What's it like on the inside when you're an evangelical pastor
• (00:23:05) - The Restlessness of the Pastor
• (00:26:14) - 7 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Become Catholic
• (00:30:20) - The Crux of the Abuse
• (00:33:39) - Paul on Pathways Church
• (00:37:24) - The Lord Who Expects Your Whole Life
• (00:42:10) - Pilgrims pray the Hail Mary
• (00:43:55) - The Catholic Church's Community
• (00:48:25) - Catholic Traditionalism: The Preservation of Fire
• (00:52:27) - Entering the Mystery of Salvation
• (00:56:35) - How Do You Know That You Know God?
• (01:00:30) - Evangelization Without Community
• (01:04:46) - 5 points of renewal in the Catholic Church
• (01:07:24) - Jesus Prays For Real Life Catholics

You are not too much for God.

In this Gospel reflection, we dive into one of the most powerful encounters in all of Scripture: Jesus and the woman at the well. At first glance, it looks like a simple conversation about water—but it’s actually a moment that reveals something shocking about God’s heart.

Jesus meets a woman who is hiding in shame, avoiding people, and trying to bury her past. She comes to the well at midday, the hottest part of the day, just so she won’t have to face anyone. But that’s exactly where Jesus meets her.

And when he reveals that he knows everything about her life—her mistakes, her relationships, her mess—something unexpected happens.

She doesn’t run.

Why? Because for the first time, someone sees her completely…and doesn’t flinch.

And it wrecked her in the best possible way. She went right back to that village she'd been hiding from and started telling everyone.

This Gospel shows us something incredible:

God isn’t shocked by your past. He isn’t overwhelmed by your struggles. He already knows everything—and he still chooses to sit with you, love you, and invite you deeper.

Even more powerful: the thing she was most ashamed of becomes the very thing that turns into her testimony. If you’ve ever felt like your life is too messy for God, this reflection is for you.

Go to Him. With all of it. Watch Him not run.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. The woman at the well avoided the crowd out of shame. Is there an area of your life you've been keeping hidden — even from God? What would it look like to bring it to him?

2. Chris reflects on the Catechism's line that prayer is "an encounter of God's thirst with ours" — that God thirsts for us to thirst for him. How does that reframe the way you think about prayer?

3. Every nudge to pray, every impulse to go to church — Chris says that's God thinking of you first. Has there been a moment in your life where that rings true? What happened when you responded (or didn't)?

4. Jesus named the woman's sin openly, and the conversation didn't end — it deepened. What does that tell us about how God sees us? How does it challenge the way we see ourselves?

5. The woman's greatest shame became her testimony — she ran back to the village and told everyone. Is there something in your own story of failure or struggle that God might want to use for his glory?

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Sign up for the Daily Anchor for free daily reflections from Chris Stefanick in your inbox:
https://bit.ly/4tQCXtP

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Join the mission to spread the joy of the Gospel! Become a Missionary of Joy to support this free content: https://bit.ly/4nTHbN0

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Join Chris Stefanick on pilgrimage: https://www.reallifecatholic.com/pilgrimages

• (00:00:00) - WHY ARE REDWOODS SO COOL?
• (00:00:41) - The Woman at the Well
• (00:07:47) - The Woman at the Well