If it's true that suffering is part of life, why do we have to change when we are suffering?

Question

If pain is inevitable, it seems that the only thing we have to change about ourselves is our perception of pain in a way that we welcome it rather than run away from it, and maybe in which way we choose to suffer (the pain of enduring, or the pain of the results of giving up). Either way, we suffer.

But what about the idea that pain makes us better people? What about homeless people that have given up on life, or about people who commit suicide because the pain (mental or physical) they are experiencing is unbearable? They are not better because of the pain, since it lead to their termination of life (spiritual or physical life-because the homeless have no spiritual life and are living dead, and those who commit suicide have no physical life, and potentially had no spiritual life).

People embrace the pain of suffering right now, to gain something of greater value later, such as with those that go to school. They do this in hopes of a better life, to avoid the pain of giving up. But that does not make pain go away. It seems we just choose how we suffer. So whatever we do, is it not in hopes that we won't have to suffer? Why then act?

What's the difference if we all suffer? Accept it and learn to suffer, or reject it and be caught by surprise when it happens-disappointed when it happens.

Answer 1

Emotional pain is often helpful in developing ones character, as it is not what pain they are going through, but how they deal with it. Not all pain is productive, but if everything was easy, we wouldn't appreciate anything. Pain, like death, is inevitable. But instead of thinking "Pain is inevitable, so there is no point trying to be happy" just learn to live in the moment and don't think about the past or the future.



We miss out on so much because our lives are so fast paced, and people often forget to just relax and live. Circumstance can play a bit part in how much pain you experience, but happiness is scientifically proven to be 50% genes, 40% outlook on life and 10% current situation.

Answer 2

The choice to suffer is a matter of perception and a choice of perception....

Feeling sorry for yourself is like slipping off a boat at sea and, just as you're falling into the waters, grabbing the anchor to take with you so as to have something you can cling to in your time of trouble!

Answer 3

I think that the saying that pain makes us better people doesn't apply to those who have to live with it all the time or those who end up killing themselves because the pain was so severe. I think it actually means that because we experience pain and suffering, we enjoy the moments we're not suffering all that much more. Without pain, we wouldn't know what we had during the good times, instead it would be flat, normal and even boring. Just like how if you grow up rich in a good family and don't experience anything less, you don't know to appreciate what you have because you don't know what life is like without it.

Answer 4

Pain is inherent to our human experience. We experience bodily pain, emotional pain, from our first day to our last. (A joke:If you are above 40 and get up in the morning without feeling pain know that you are dead...)

We are programmed to avoid pain and to attract pleasure. As you mentioned, all our life we are occupied with calculations how to chose our path among others which will inflict on us less suffering .

Maybe the only way to handle pain is to understand that it is there for a purpose. And a good one. You can find more information regarding that interesting point of view on the short video below and the related videos. Good luck!

Answer 5

Suffering was not in God's plan for humanity, but because of Adam's sin thousand of years ago, all of creation groans under as it waits for the Lord's return (Romans 8:19-21). Homestly, if we really evolved from ape-like hominids and are really the result of billions of years of suffering and death, well, then, suffering and death are to be expected, and there's nothing we can do about it, because according to evolutionists, once we die, that's it--we're dead and cease to exist, and death and suffering will go on and on. It's a bloody, gruesome worldview that has no true hope. So really, if we really came to be by pure chance, why would we get upset over suffering? After all, we exist to pass on our genes and die and are essentially not worth any more than cockroaches.



Since you seem familiar with Scripture, Carlos, I would read the Genesis account to see where everything all actually started to and see God's wonderful plan for humanity that wove itself throughout our history as humans, as can be seen in the Bible, and came to fruition in the sacrifice and rising again of the Person of Jesus Christ in the Gospels. I would also visit AnswersInGenesis.org and gotquestions.org and soak up their information, because it all points to the Truth of God and His Word.



And even though the majority of the Yahoo Answers inhabitants are extremely censorial regarding Christianity and any speck of Truth, you can be confident, if you're a Christian, that it's not over yet. Regardless of how many downvotes this post may get, that is because the world hates God and wants nothing to do with Him, just as Paul declared in Romans 1 what would happen. But while there's still breath, there's still hope. So take heart, Carlos, and remember that we all have sinned and fallen short of God's glory...but He has redeemed us through His Son (Romans 3:22-24).