Finding Purpose in Suffering
I once heard that if we could see a massive pile of everyone’s burdens and trials in this life, and had the ability to choose our own, that we would go in and pick exactly what we have received.
Kind of a weird thought.
At the time, I thought, (assuming that this was theoretically possible and true) maybe it is because we would have learned how to deal with our own trials and other peoples’ issues would look too difficult or unpleasant.
I now just have to say, I do not think that is a fair summary of why we would have been given the trials we have. No, never in a thousand years would I have picked up the things that have happened to me. I truly do not believe many others would have chosen the things they’ve experienced either.
How do I feel about the struggles we each face in this life?
I have hated some of mine. I would not wish what I have faced on my worst enemy.
Then I think of the 10-year-old girl I learned about online, Milana¹, who has been fighting bone cancer—would she have wanted this pain? This fear of dying so young? And I think of Dr. Edith Eger, who shares in her memoir² what she went through in the holocaust and the aftermath of recovery in her life. Would she have ever picked the things she experienced? The harm done to her?
No, I really don’t believe we ever would have picked these out on our own accord. I also don’t feel as though we each are somehow stronger than people who have different trials, that we can handle them any better than others necessarily.
What do I see in the other trials we each have, though?
I see a mission. A mission to go through difficult things and come away changed forever. To come away with a love for the sweet parts of life after tasting the bitter. To serve those who are struggling, even as we struggle ourselves. To find we had strength we never knew we had.
I heard another idea a long time ago. It was someone’s personal belief that, before we came to Earth, God held each of us in His arms and told us about the trials we would each face in this life. That we had the opportunity to choose if we wanted to experience these things. I believe this as well.
Maybe more than wanting to pick certain trials because of our ability to navigate it, we wanted to grow. We wanted to make it back to our loving Heavenly home and we hoped to help others make it back home along the way. We accepted the mission God had for us by coming here.
I wouldn’t wish suffering on anyone, but I also wouldn’t wish a life without any growth and change on anyone either. We did not come here to stay the same. And if trials in life teach us and change us so effectively, then I am grateful I have suffered, like every one of us on Earth does.
1 https://usd.reachyad.com/campaign/6450f28c362ce8781f24a815
