Feeling pain and suffering is a moment of truth

Would you want to live in a world without pain?

How about a world without suffering?

As a kid, I wondered why I felt pain and suffering. I simply couldn’t see the point, especially when I was the one experiencing them. Now that I’m no longer a kid, I can see the role pain and suffering play in my life—or anyone’s life, for that matter. I’ve realized that:

Whenever I experience pain and suffering, it is a moment of truth.

It’s as if pain or suffering is a signal pointing to an area of my life that needs attention or focus.

You suffer when things aren’t going well to remind you that something needs to change or that you should be more careful next time you find yourself in a similar situation.

Similarly, you experience physical pain when something is wrong with your body, prompting you to avoid whatever is causing the pain. Think about touching a hot object. When you feel the heat burning you, you quickly pull away to prevent further harm. That pain is a moment of truth, reminding you to stay away from danger.

Rather than complaining about pain and suffering, see them as messengers of truth. Yes, it sucks to suffer or be in pain, but you must examine the truths these two seemingly unbearable experiences reveal to make appropriate changes or remedies in your life.