Is Suffering Good?

Is Suffering Good?

Or the question could be restated is it necessary.  There are three articles that were recently published; “If Jesus suffered, The Origin of suffering, Thoughts on suffering souls, along with several reflecting on those related to the sufferings of Jesus.

Looking at the condition of suffering, there can be two varieties.  One is where grief enters and our hearts are broken from the loss of a child or close family member.  Many people do have difficulty dealing with emotional influx’s of bad news or severe crisis when an unexpected event suddenly presents itself.  Sometimes it becomes a soul-searching effort to circumvent that person’s grief and usually becomes almost impossible to get inside their locked mind towards relief.  There is no direct solution for grief a parent or spouse holds onto from a deceased member.  Our best efforts lie with compassion and closeness; those they need. 

I know first-hand the results of grief when a child, no matter their age, suddenly passes from illness or the recipient of alcohol/drug addiction.  Working with Grief related organizations we found that some people never grow out of the grief they feel.  So their suffering goes on and on.

The other suffering is when we offer our own pain or prayers for the expiation of those who suffer in Purgatory or for members still living who are in need of us to alleviate their difficulties.  

Both types are always direct arms of compassion and consideration for souls both living and dead.  

In the Origin of Suffering, we need to go back to Genesis and follow the pattern our original parents went through by disobeying God.  We can’t tell people who are in the state of depression or suffering from grief that sin has caused this.  However, the world we’ve inherited is filled with far too many incidents that can be traced in one way or another to the effects of sin which puts all of us at the Mercy of God.  One person’s joy can fill the world with happiness.  One person’s sin can put all of us in jeopardy.  It all depends on the scenario either event appears to affect any one of us.  

A parent or guardian that shows kindness and forgiveness to their family members will produce loving children and keep a spouse close to them.  A drunken and/or abusive parent who comes home and beats the children and is abusive to a spouse wreaks disastrous effects from which will induce characteristics that may live with the recipients for life.  

Sometimes these events will produce suffering beyond the direct family members.  An example of this was related by a co-worker who told me how his father would come home in a drunken rage and he along with his siblings became the scourge of a hateful father.  This friend related to me the effect this had on him and caused his undesirable activity to be someone else’s sin.  That kind of suffering goes on daily in our society.  

Is it necessary?  No!  But it does exist.  Most of us unfortunately may suffer without our cause.  Jesus suffered from the cause of ignorance, hatred, and the evil desires of his enemies.  He died to forgive them.  We must take time to do the same.

Ralph B. Hathaway, Suffering and Forgiveness - 2021