--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God takes our misery and suffering so…" description: "\"God takes our misery and suffering so seriously that he was willing to take it on himself.\" — Timothy Keller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/timothy-keller-240_god_god-takes-our-misery-and-suffering-so-se_97720.png" --- # God takes our misery and suffering so seriously that he… ![“God takes our misery and suffering so seriously that he was willing to take it on himself.” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/timothy-keller-240_god_god-takes-our-misery-and-suffering-so-se_97720.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/timothy-keller-240_god_god-takes-our-misery-and-suffering-so-se_97720.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/timothy-keller-240_god_god-takes-our-misery-and-suffering-so-se_97720.png) > “God takes our misery and suffering so seriously that he was willing to take it on himself.” [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine empathy is portrayed as God personally experiencing human suffering, underscoring a profound solidarity with humanity's pain. **In simple terms:** God shares in human suffering. Key Takeaway Divine empathy through incarnation. Themes theology suffering compassion faith Mood comforting solemn Type spiritual theological When to use this quote - grieving a loss - supporting a friend in crisis - counseling sessions Key Concepts theodicy incarnation Practical Applications - Offer compassionate presence - Use shared experience to comfort Questions to Reflect On - How does believing in a compassionate deity affect coping with pain? - What are the limits of divine empathy? A Different Perspective Interpretations of divine suffering vary across traditions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [The God of the Bible takes our misery and suffering so seriously that he was willing to take it on himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-god-of-the-bible-takes-our-misery-and-suffering-so-seriously-that/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [It is one of the great ironies of human history that some mortals with incorrect understanding of God and life's purposes sometimes scold God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/it-is-one-of-the-great-ironies-of-human-history-that-some-mortals/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [“His were the eyes of one who had seen too much suffering to take suffering too seriously.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/his-were-the-eyes-of-one-who-had-seen-too-much-suffering-to-take/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [While the Second World War brought about untold misery and suffering, it was also a time when the world witnessed extraordinary bravery. Through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-kutesa/while-the-second-world-war-brought-about-untold-misery-and-suffering/) Sam Kutesa > [The most important words in the English language are not 'I love you' but 'it's benign.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/the-most-important-words-in-the-english-language-are-not-i-love-you/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [To love is to suffer. To avoid suffering one must not love. But then one suffers from not loving. Therefore, to love is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/to-love-is-to-suffer-to-avoid-suffering-one-must-not-love-but-then/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Rage is by no means an automatic reaction to misery and suffering as such; no one reacts with rage to an incurable disease or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/rage-is-by-no-means-an-automatic-reaction-to-misery-and-suffering-as/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [The information age has been driven and dominated by technopreneurs. We now have to apply these technologies in saving lives, improving livelihoods and lifting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/the-information-age-has-been-driven-and-dominated-by-technopreneurs/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [This misery that I am suffering is of my own doing, and that very thing proves that it will have to be undone by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/this-misery-that-i-am-suffering-is-of-my-own-doing-and-that-very/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [The three types of misery are the misery of suffering, the misery of change, and pervasive misery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/the-three-types-of-misery-are-the-misery-of-suffering-the-misery-of/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Wars have not solved anything in our region. They have only caused misery, suffering, bereavement, and hatred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yitzhak-shamir/wars-have-not-solved-anything-in-our-region-they-have-only-caused/) [Yitzhak Shamir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yitzhak-shamir/) > [“We will never know true bliss while our lifestyles are reliant on the misery and suffering of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mango-wodzak/we-will-never-know-true-bliss-while-our-lifestyles-are-reliant-on-the/) [Mango Wodzak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mango-wodzak/) > ["Boy, the food at this place is really terrible." The other one says, "Yeah, I know; and such small portions." Well, that's essentially how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/boy-the-food-at-this-place-is-really-terrible-the-other-one-says-yeah/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [They will both be happy, and I do not grudge them their bliss; but I groan under my own misery: some of my suffering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/they-will-both-be-happy-and-i-do-not-grudge-them-their-bliss-but-i/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [I grew up hearing everyone tell me 'God loves you'. I would say big deal, God loves everybody. That don't make me special! That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-grew-up-hearing-everyone-tell-me-god-loves-you-i-would-say-big-deal/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) ## More by Timothy Keller > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The more you rejoice in your own forgiveness, the quicker you will be to forgive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-more-you-rejoice-in-your-own-forgiveness-the-quicker-you-will-be/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Evangelism will come organically in friendship if we don’t let our pride, fears, and pessimism cause us to hide our faith and heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/evangelism-will-come-organically-in-friendship-if-we-don-t-let-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“The coming of the messianic King occurs in two stages. At his first coming, he saved us from the penalty of sin and gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-coming-of-the-messianic-king-occurs-in-two-stages-at-his-first/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ “24 A few pages later, Delbanco writes the following: \[Alexis de\] Tocqueville’s detection of a “strange melancholy in the midst of abundance” has a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/24-a-few-pages-later-delbanco-writes-the-following-alexis-de/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/to-stay-away-from-christianity-because-part-of-the-bible-s-teaching/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-the-preaching-of-our-ministers-and-the-practice-of-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“of temple, presence, and sacrifice; of covenant and faithfulness; of kingdom and victory. 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A changed life comes in response to the salvation, offered as a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-salvation-does-not-come-in-response-to-a-changed-life-a-changed/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-anything-in-life-is-an-absolute-requirement-for-your-happiness/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Suffering is the stripping of our hope in finite things, therefore we do not put our ultimate hope in anything finite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/suffering-is-the-stripping-of-our-hope-in-finite-things-therefore-we/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Christ will do everything for you or nothing. He's either all of your righteousness or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/christ-will-do-everything-for-you-or-nothing-he-s-either-all-of-your/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If we give God things in hope that they'll earn us blessings, we're really not doing anything for him. It's for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-we-give-god-things-in-hope-that-they-ll-earn-us-blessings-we-re/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) [Explore all 843 Timothy Keller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More God quotes > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [“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/) > [“am not suggesting that successes in academics, athletics, or vocation somehow stand outside God’s good plan. Learning and play are joys that God himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-paul-jones/am-not-suggesting-that-successes-in-academics-athletics-or-vocation/) [Timothy Paul Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-paul-jones/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [The faster you go, the shorter you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-faster-you-go-the-shorter-you-are/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/) [Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I wonder: when a Jehovah's Witness dies and goes to Heaven, does God hide behind the door and pretend He's not home?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-celio/i-wonder-when-a-jehovah-s-witness-dies-and-goes-to-heaven-does-god/) [Brian Celio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-celio/) > [What would God have me do with my life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/what-would-god-have-me-do-with-my-life/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [God always gets the glory when Jesus comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-giglio/god-always-gets-the-glory-when-jesus-comes/) [Louie Giglio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-giglio/) > [“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/do-all-the-good-you-can-by-all-the-means-you-can-in-all-the-ways-you/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [You are a God Act like one!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/you-are-a-god-act-like-one/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) [Browse all 37,707 God quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "God takes our misery and suffering so seriously that he was willing to take it on himself.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Timothy Keller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-takes-our-misery-and-suffering-so-seriously-that-he-was-willing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-takes-our-misery-and-suffering-so-seriously-that-he-was-willing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/timothy-keller-240_god_god-takes-our-misery-and-suffering-so-se_97720.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/timothy-keller-240_god_god-takes-our-misery-and-suffering-so-se_97720.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/timothy-keller-240_god_god-takes-our-misery-and-suffering-so-se_97720.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“God takes our misery and suffering so seriously that he was willing to take it on himself.” — Timothy Keller", "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": "Timothy Keller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "God takes our misery and suffering...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-takes-our-misery-and-suffering-so-seriously-that-he-was-willing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-takes-our-misery-and-suffering-so-seriously-that-he-was-willing/#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 } } ] } ```