The question of where human suffering comes from and how it relates to Divine providence is a deeply human struggle. When a person goes through a crisis, the natural reaction is often to blame blind chance or to hold heaven responsible. Yet, a deeper look reveals a system built entirely on free will and personal responsibility. The primary approach among commentators is that God leaves the world in the hands of human choice [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Having presented humanity with the clear options of life and good versus death and evil, God does not arbitrarily force a good outcome on a wicked person or a bad outcome on a righteous one. Instead, the world operates on a natural law of reward and punishment. Hardship naturally follows the one who does wrong, while blessing finds the one who does right [רש״י, תורה תמימה].
Because of this, a person going through a difficult time cannot simply write off their pain as bad luck. Since their struggles are a result of their own actions, complaining against God is misplaced. The proper response is to examine their own mistakes and return to the right path [רש״י, תורה תמימה, צאינה וראינה].
A closer look at the nature of hardship reveals that God is not its direct source. When a person sins, the wrongdoing itself creates a destructive force. God does not actively cause the harm or deliver the punishment; He simply removes His protection, leaving the person exposed to the negative forces they created. In contrast, good is singular and direct, as God is the immediate source and giver of the reward [פלגי מים]. The broader nature of hardship also points to two distinct rules: pain will not strike someone who does good, and when pain does strike a wrongdoer, it is born from their own choices rather than directly from God [תורה תמימה].
On the other hand, a completely different perspective suggests that both good and bad do, in fact, come directly from God, as everything is decided by Him. However, there is a clear purpose uniting them. Even the painful experiences that God sends are ultimately designed to lead to a good result [פלגי מים].