For thousands of years people have wrestled with the question how a good and powerful God can coexist with the reality of evil and suffering in the world? This is often called “the problem of pain” or the “problem of evil”. When scholars attempt to offer and explanation this is called a “theodicy”. Countless books and papers have been written to offer various theodicies. There is no theodicy that can explain away the suffering that we have all experienced because of evil and pain in the world. However, many people have been able to get to the far side of the complexity of this question and find a form of peace in holding the tension of it all. Usually this means some form of an intellectual, but also emotional wrestling with this problem.

I surveyed a number of theologians that I trust and have the following books as resources if you want to engage in this wrestle on your own or with others. I don’t personally endorse everything in any of these books – but I respect the way each author approaches this struggle and find their various perspectives helpful in the wrestle. Here are the recommendations along with a short summary:

(note: depending on what you are facing, intellectual wrestling is not only what its needed – if you are in need of support please reach out to our care team! No one needs to suffer alone!)

Suffering and the Search for Meaning: Contemporary Responses to the Problem of Pain (Richard Rice)
Rice surveys a range of theological perspectives on suffering—such as free will theodicies, soul-making approaches, cosmic conflict views, and process thought—showing how each tradition frames God’s role in human pain. Instead of arguing for a single solution, he highlights the strengths and limitations of each view and emphasizes how different frameworks can provide meaning, comfort, and hope for those wrestling with suffering.

Theodicy of Love: Cosmic Conflict and the Problem of Evil (John C. Peckham)
Peckham argues that God’s governing principle is love, which requires granting creatures genuine freedom and thus makes cosmic conflict with evil possible. Rather than seeing suffering as divinely willed, he presents it as the tragic consequence of free beings resisting God’s love. He situates human pain within a larger, ongoing cosmic struggle between God and evil powers, affirming that divine love is both the explanation for why evil is permitted and the hope for its eventual defeat.

Is God to Blame? Beyond Pat Answers to the Problem of Suffering (Greg A. Boyd)
Boyd critiques simplistic explanations for suffering and insists that not all events reflect God’s direct will. Drawing from Scripture and the “warfare worldview,” he emphasizes that creation is a battlefield where spiritual and human freedom lead to tragic consequences. He presents a God who grieves with the suffering and works redemptively within brokenness, urging readers to reject fatalism and embrace active trust in God’s loving character.

Lord Willing? Wrestling with God’s Role in My Child’s Death (Jessica Kelley)
In this deeply personal memoir-theology, Kelley recounts the tragic loss of her young son to brain cancer and how it shattered her previous belief that God directly wills or orchestrates every event. Through her grief, she explores the “warfare worldview,” which portrays creation as a battleground between God and forces of evil, and presents God not as the author of suffering but as one who suffers with us and works to redeem pain. The book blends raw lament with theological reflection, offering hope that God’s goodness remains trustworthy even when tragedy strikes.

The Problem of Pain (C.S. Lewis)
Lewis offers a rational Christian defense of why a good God allows suffering, arguing that pain is often a tool through which God shapes character, awakens human dependence, and points us toward ultimate redemption. While intellectual in tone, the book underscores that suffering—though deeply difficult—can play a role in God’s loving purposes for humanity and creation.

A Grief Observed (C.S. Lewis)
Written after the death of his wife, Lewis’s raw journal-like reflections wrestle with overwhelming loss, doubt, anger, and the seeming silence of God. Unlike his earlier apologetic works, this book captures the visceral, unfiltered experience of grief, ultimately showing how faith can endure when it passes through the depths of sorrow.

Don’t Sing Songs to a Heavy Heart: How to Relate to Those Who are Suffering (Kenneth C. Haugk)
Haugk offers practical wisdom for caring for those in pain, warning against clichés, unhelpful advice, or attempts to “cheer up” the grieving. Instead, he encourages empathy, presence, and listening as primary ways of offering Christlike compassion. The book blends pastoral insights, real stories, and practical guidance, equipping readers to be sensitive companions to suffering friends and loved ones.