When Life Hurts: Physical, Mental, Social, & Spiritual Pain

Help and hope during the most difficult times of your life

Life can be really tough sometimes.  When life hurts, Bible verses alone will not take away the pain. For two decades I’ve been writing about the hardest things we face: chronic illness, depression, divorce, grief, feeling useless to God, and everything in between. Here I have put more than 40 of the most helpful articles in one place.

I take a biopsychosocial-spiritual (BPSS) approach, and over time I will explain this model in full, including assessment tools and practical treatment options.

It should not surprise us when suffering comes as Jesus promised that we would have many troubles in this life. He even said that each day will have enough trouble of its own.  Jesus always keeps his promises. At times these things will become unbearable. Like the Apostle Paul we may be tested far beyond our ability to cope.

Nobody gets off this planet without going through significant pain.  If you are currently in a season of great blessing, do not feel complacent as your time is coming.  Tim Keller warns us:

“No matter what precautions we take, no matter how well we have put together a good life, no matter how hard we have worked to be healthy, wealthy, comfortable with friends and family, and successful with our career — something will inevitably ruin it.”  (Tim Keller, Walking with God through Pain and Suffering)

It is our responsibility to learn how to “rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” ( Romans 12:15, NIV). This means we must learn how to better support and care for others who are going through challenges.

Pastoral care training is relevant for every member of a church, and it must include much more than a list of helpful Bible verses to share with others in pain.  Actually sometimes, like Job’s friends, when we start to speak is when we begin to go wrong.  Sometimes simply sitting with someone in their pain, allowing them to weep if needed, is the best gift we can give.

The gospel sits at the literal crux of the paradox between justice and mercy, vengeance and forgiveness, righteous anger and gracious love. Jesus death and resurrection is the only way to bridge that chasm and experience wholeness and restoration. pic.twitter.com/jQ3wWmHrBq

— Adrian Warnock (@adrianwarnock) November 19, 2025

I offer these articles as specific tools that may help you if you, or someone you know, is dealing with one of the many ways that suffering comes.  Jesus has promised us that he has overcome the world and he does offer us comfort in the midst of great difficulty.

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33, NLT).

“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today” (Matthews 6:34, NLT).

These articles will not take away the confusion and at times despair you may be feeling.  But I hope they will help fan your hope into flame. I write as someone who has worked as a psychiatrist, served on the leadership team of a church, and been chronically sick myself.  I have made many mistakes along the way, and I draw from all my experiences in these articles.

Suffering is a call for us as believers not to try to have everything figured out, but to trust in the God who does.

General Suffering, disappointment and dashed hopes

→ Am I the Worst Sinner in the World?
→ When Your Body Lies to You: False Messages and Appetites
→ How Suffering Revealed What Was in My Heart
→ The Tyranny of the Positive
→ Weeping Is Encouraged
→ Are You Weary? Come To Jesus! He Will Give You Rest!
→ Is Your Jesus Strong And Kind? Is He Meek And Majestic?
→ Ten Things Jesus Did NOT Say
→ Easter Saturday – Disappointment, Despair and Doubt
→ A Surprising Answer To The “Why Me?” Question
→ God Breaks Those He Wants To Make Great
→ How To Deal With Shame, Accusations, And Condemnation
→ Growing in Grace: When Shoots Take Root by John Newton
→ Our Culture Can’t Cope with Suffering
→ Hope in Suffering
→ Lord Help – A Simple Prayer for the Suffering
→ Keep Asking And Expecting
→ Thinking, Thanking, And Loving
→ Born Again Through Jesus: The Power Of Resurrection
→ Top 20 Christian Books on Suffering Ranked by ChatGPT

You many also find my books helpful as you address this issues.

Raised With Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything 

by Adrian Warnock, foreword by Terry Virgo

1st edition: Crossway books, 2010 2nd edition: Amazon, 2025 fully updated

Jesus’ resurrection brings us hope that transforms every painful experience.

Hope Reborn: How to Become a Christian and Live for Jesus

by Adrian Warnock and Tope Koleoso

Christian Focus, 2014

The gospel is the only foundation to build a hope filled life on. Yes, you do also need the more specific advice outlined in the articles in this blog. But knowing Jesus makes all the difference.

Facing Financial Difficulties

→ Joy In Facing Financial Difficulties, Sorrow, And Even Death
→ Is This Your Greatest Ever Trial?
→ Charles Spurgeon On Tithing

Feeling disqualified or useless to God

→ Why the Apostle Paul Wouldn’t Get Hired By Your Church
→ Does Unbelief in a Pastor’s Children Disqualify Him?
→ We Are Just Beggars Helping Other Beggars Find Bread
→ Gender Roles – A Complementarian and Egalitarian Spectrum
→ Retiring The Billy Graham Rule: Men And Woman CAN Be Friends
→ Personal Prophecy: When is it just Your Wishful Thinking?

Chronic illness, pain, and disability 

→ Adrian On BBC’s Songs Of Praise – Finding God In Turmoil
→ Eight Years of Living with Chronic Illness
→ When Your Body Lies to You – False Messages and Appetites
→ Does God Have Anything to Do with Coping with Cancer?
→ What is blood cancer?
→ Disability – An Injustice the Church Should Battle
→ “Disabled People: ‘Just Die, Will You!’”
→ Top Ten Healing Do’s And Don’ts

Divorce, abuse and family pain

→ What can Philip Yancey Teach us About Shame?
→ Interview: PJ Smyth son of the most prolific abuser connected to the Church of England
→ Barnabas Piper: Pastor’s Kid, Divorcee, and Minister
→ Christian Divorce: Adrian and Dave Bish in Conversation
→ Christian Views on Divorce and Remarriage – A Spectrum
→ How to Reduce Divorce Stigma in Church
→ Pro-Life Voting: Beyond Anti-Abortion, Protecting All Lives
→ Abuse And The Limits Of Pastoral Confidentiality
→ Blessed Are The Peacemakers

Burnout, Depression and other mental-health challenges

→ Compassion Fatigue – The Saviour Complex and Benevolent Detachment
→ Can a Christian Get Depressed?
→ Charles Spurgeon was depressed more frequently than most
→ God’s word to the depressed: Bible verses on Depression
→ What is Depression and how is it treated?
→ John MacArthur and John Piper on their experience of depression
→ John Piper Recommends Books on Spiritual Depression
→ Self Control In An Addicted World
→ Will a Christian Who Commits Suicide Go to Heaven?
→ What Can We Do To Reduce The Risk Of Suicide?
→ God’s word to suicidal: Bible verses to help prevent suicide
→ Coping With Life’s Challenges – The Role Of Friends And Therapy
→ Pastoral Care With Mental Health In Mind
→ Should a Christian Go to Counselling with a Secular Therapist?
→ What are Mental Illnesses and Disorders? What effects do they have?
→ How can I recognize a possible mental illness?
→ What causes mental illness? The Biopsychosocial-spiritual model
→ The Four Pillars Of Mental Health And Wellbeing
→ What is Bipolar Disorder and how is it treated?
→ Bible Verses for Those with Bipolar Disorder or Agitation
→ What is Schizophrenia and how is it treated?
→ God’s word for the anxious: Bible verses about Anxiety
→ Interview – Christians and Mental Health – Dr Mark Mayfield
→ Movies That Educate Us About Mental Illnesses and Disorders

End-of-life, terminal illness and bereavement

→ Rick Warren’s Son Takes Own Life After Lifelong Battle with Mental Illness
→ We Grieve, But Not in the Same Way as Those Who Have No Hope
→ How long will I live with cancer?
→ Pro-Life to the End – Assisted Suicide Is Not the Answer
→ Afterlife: Disembodied Spirits Or Resurrection Bodies?
→ Cosmic Renewal: The Resurrection Of All Things

You may find my books helpful as you address all this issues. They point to an everlasting hope which goes beyond the grave.

Raised With Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything 

by Adrian Warnock, foreword by Terry Virgo

1st edition: Crossway books, 2010 2nd edition: Amazon, 2025 fully updated

Jesus resurrection brings us hope that transforms every painful experience.

Hope Reborn: How to Become a Christian and Live for Jesus

by Adrian Warnock and Tope Koleoso

Christian Focus, 2014

The gospel is the only foundation to build a hope filled life on. Yes, you do also need the more specific advice outlined in the articles in this blog. But knowing Jesus makes all the difference.