For example, suffering can sometimes teach us the difference between real fears and fears that are only imagined.  By suffering through real, painful crises we may learn to separate real from imagined fears.  We may learn to depend on a Higher Power to give us the grace and love to go through the various crises of our life.

Suffering can teach us how important we are to one another. We can learn what it is like to depend on someone and to be someone depends on. It teaches you how to cooperate and work together to make changes in your life and your world. It can teach you that by yourself you may fail, but with the help of a friend or spiritual mentor you can fall, fail, and still overcome. It makes you count your blessings when you see someone who is suffering more than you are. Remember the adage of "I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes, until I met someone who had no feet."

Another lesson to be learned from suffering is just how much you need a Higher Power and a spiritual relationship in your life. Through suffering, you can learn that material things are not much help when you are facing trials and troubles.

Suffering helps strip away differences in races, sex, class, and beliefs. We all suffer regardless of our income or social class because we were all created equal. Suffering helps remind us that none of us are not above the laws of the universe.  It shows the important things in our lives: other people and our spiritual relationship with a Higher Power.

Lessons are learned when we admit a Higher Power has a hand in our lives and when turn our suffering into blessings. We may always have "scars" from our suffering but we can use the lessons we have learned from the suffering to create something positive and receive a spiritual renewal and healing.