To suffer is a choice based on perception.; one can perceive that an experience is to help them grow within or the experience is meant to cause harm. Everything in life begins with a choice. However, when an individual chooses to allow his or her emotions to slip away or go out of control, then the individual has chosen to perceive the experience as one of harm. Which is okay because either way learning occurs sooner or later. When your emotions go haywire your self-esteem/confidence goes down thus you perceive the experience as being one that causes suffering and eventually you learn from the experience. Once your self-esteem/confidence is restored and emotions are addressed you realize that the experience was meant to help you, in other words you chose to shift your perspective to the lens of a "helpful experience".

There is another aspect to suffering and it deals with choices. To turn toward suffering and allow it in your life is like turning your back from the one who can help you the most, which happens to be God. If you allow God to help you then you will learn that there is always a choice when faced with a dilemma. In this case, the choice would be to suffer or not to suffer. You see when we blindly turn towards suffering we are making a "choice" to get swallowed up in the suffering. When we get swallowed up in the suffering, we have already made the choice to suffer. Instead what we need to do is come to a realization that on a subtle level we choose every experience and with every experience we choose whether or not God will be a part of the choices that lead to each experience. When we allow God into our lives, our choices are chosen for our highest good.

So as you walk your path remember that to suffer is based on perception and choosing to suffer. Also, remember that God wants to walk your path with you, especially when you feel overwhelmed by life's difficulties. Remember that you are never alone and that life is full of choices, which lead to our experiences. We will always have the power within us to choose what we want to experience whether we are consciously or sub-consciously making choices. God has blessed us with freewill and it is freewill that allows us to choose what we want to experience. It is also freewill that allows us not to experience the choice of suffering.