--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Bible teaches us that God does not…" description: "\"The Bible teaches us that God does not cause pain, but that He uses pain and evil to advance His cause and shape His servants.\" — Max Lucado" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/max-lucado-190_bible_the-bible-teaches-us-that-god-does-not-c_725407.jpg" --- # The Bible teaches us that God does not cause pain, but… ![“The Bible teaches us that God does not cause pain, but that He uses pain and evil to advance His cause and shape His servants.” quote by Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/max-lucado-190_bible_the-bible-teaches-us-that-god-does-not-c_725407.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/max-lucado-190_bible_the-bible-teaches-us-that-god-does-not-c_725407.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/max-lucado-190_bible_the-bible-teaches-us-that-god-does-not-c_725407.jpg) > “The Bible teaches us that God does not cause pain, but that He uses pain and evil to advance His cause and shape His servants.” [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Explains that God permits pain and evil to shape and strengthen believers for a greater purpose. **In simple terms:** Pain is used by God to develop us. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges as spiritual growth. Themes faith suffering purpose Mood comforting hopeful Type religious inspirational When to use this quote - personal crises - health struggles - moral dilemmas - mission work Key Concepts theodicy spiritual development Questions to Reflect On - What personal growth have you seen from hardship? A Different Perspective Can pain be justified universally? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Servant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) ## Related quotes > [The Bible teaches that God owns the world. He distributes to every man according to His own good pleasure, conformably to general laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-van-dyke/the-bible-teaches-that-god-owns-the-world-he-distributes-to-every-man/) [Henry Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-van-dyke/) > [Reformed theology does NOT teach that God brings the ELECT kicking and screaming, against their will, into His kingdom. It teaches that God so-works…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/reformed-theology-does-not-teach-that-god-brings-the-elect-kicking/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [Modern man has lost any sense of God's nearness, but Christianity teaches that God reveals himself through every single thing he has ever brought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/modern-man-has-lost-any-sense-of-god-s-nearness-but-christianity/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [A religion that teaches you God is something outside the world--something separate from everything you see, smell, taste, touch, and hear--is nothing but a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-religion-that-teaches-you-god-is-something-outside-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Theology is taught by God, teaches God, and leads to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/theology-is-taught-by-god-teaches-god-and-leads-to-god/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“Live long enough, and life teaches you that God is not your lucky rabbit foot,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-courtney-sullivan-2/live-long-enough-and-life-teaches-you-that-god-is-not-your-lucky/) [J Courtney Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-courtney-sullivan-2/) > [“The brutal fact is that in this Christian country not one person in a hundred has the faintest notion what the Church teaches about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/the-brutal-fact-is-that-in-this-christian-country-not-one-person-in-a/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [“When faced with pain and evil, we have to make a choice. We can choose to be taken by the evil. Or we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-smart/when-faced-with-pain-and-evil-we-have-to-make-a-choice-we-can-choose/) [Elizabeth Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-smart/) > [“You heard him say it? 'Pain's the only evil I know about.' You heard that?" The monk nodded solemnly. "And that society is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-m-miller-jr/you-heard-him-say-it-pain-s-the-only-evil-i-know-about-you-heard-that/) [Walter M. Miller Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-m-miller-jr/) > [One of the most astonishing things about Jesus is that as God he actually chose to come into our fallen, sick, twisted, unjust, evil,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/one-of-the-most-astonishing-things-about-jesus-is-that-as-god-he/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [I cannot but think that he who finds a certain proportion of pain and evil inseparably woven up in the life of the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/i-cannot-but-think-that-he-who-finds-a-certain-proportion-of-pain-and/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [“...in this world He's apt to repay service with pain while those who do evil ride over the roads in Cadillac cars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-this-world-he-s-apt-to-repay-service-with-pain-while-those-who-do/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“As I have said, the Bible consistently changes the questions we bring to the problem of pain. It rarely, or ambiguously, answers the backward-looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/as-i-have-said-the-bible-consistently-changes-the-questions-we-bring/) [Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/) > [“I venture to say Kierkegaard meant that truth has lost its force with us and horrible pain and evil must teach it to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/i-venture-to-say-kierkegaard-meant-that-truth-has-lost-its-force-with/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [It is a sin to persue pleasure as a good and to avoid pain as a evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/it-is-a-sin-to-persue-pleasure-as-a-good-and-to-avoid-pain-as-a-evil/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) ## More by Max Lucado > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [When we look at the love of Christ, we make a wonderful discovery. Love is more a decision than an emotion! Christ-like love applauds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/when-we-look-at-the-love-of-christ-we-make-a-wonderful-discovery-love/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [You will be at your best forever, Even now you have good moments. Occasional glimpses of your heavenly self. When you change your baby's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/you-will-be-at-your-best-forever-even-now-you-have-good-moments/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“Ageing. We laugh about it, and we groan about it. We resist it, but we cant't stop it. And with the chuckles and wrinkles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/ageing-we-laugh-about-it-and-we-groan-about-it-we-resist-it-but-we/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“You’ve already learned, haven’t you, that a promise made is not always a promise kept? Just because someone is called your dad, that doesn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/you-ve-already-learned-haven-t-you-that-a-promise-made-is-not-always/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [God is near whether you sense His presence or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/god-is-near-whether-you-sense-his-presence-or-not/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [If you're feeling pain, express that to the Lord. If you're feeling worried, express those worries. One passage that gives me comfort is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/if-you-re-feeling-pain-express-that-to-the-lord-if-you-re-feeling/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [The church is never a place to show off. Do your good deeds quietly. Serve; don't seek to be seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/the-church-is-never-a-place-to-show-off-do-your-good-deeds-quietly/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [If there are a thousand steps between us and God, He will take all but one. He will leave the final one for us.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/if-there-are-a-thousand-steps-between-us-and-god-he-will-take-all-but/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [God's love never ceases. Never... God doesn't love us less if we fail or more if we succeed. God's love never ceases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/god-s-love-never-ceases-never-god-doesn-t-love-us-less-if-we-fail-or/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Are you on the eve of change? Embrace it. Accept it. Don't resist it. Change is not only a part of life, change is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/are-you-on-the-eve-of-change-embrace-it-accept-it-don-t-resist-it/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [There's no limit to God's love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/there-s-no-limit-to-god-s-love/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [God will use whatever he wants to display his glory. Heavens and stars. History and nations. People and problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/god-will-use-whatever-he-wants-to-display-his-glory-heavens-and-stars/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Whether or not storms come, we can not choose. But where we stare during a storm, that we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/whether-or-not-storms-come-we-can-not-choose-but-where-we-stare/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [Write today's worries in sand. Chisel yesterday's victories in stone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/write-today-s-worries-in-sand-chisel-yesterday-s-victories-in-stone/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Explore all 968 Max Lucado quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Bible teaches us that God does not cause pain, but that He uses pain and evil to advance His cause and shape His servants.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Max Lucado" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/the-bible-teaches-us-that-god-does-not-cause-pain-but-that-he-uses/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/the-bible-teaches-us-that-god-does-not-cause-pain-but-that-he-uses/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/max-lucado-190_bible_the-bible-teaches-us-that-god-does-not-c_725407.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/max-lucado-190_bible_the-bible-teaches-us-that-god-does-not-c_725407.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b73/max-lucado-190_bible_the-bible-teaches-us-that-god-does-not-c_725407.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Bible teaches us that God does not cause pain, but that He uses pain and evil to advance His cause and…” — Max Lucado", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Max Lucado", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Bible teaches us that God...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/the-bible-teaches-us-that-god-does-not-cause-pain-but-that-he-uses/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/the-bible-teaches-us-that-god-does-not-cause-pain-but-that-he-uses/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```