There are religions and philosophies which teach that suffering can be avoided or displaced in our present existence by human methods such as meditation or living an ascetic life.
Christianity, the religion of Bible authority, teaches that suffering is unavoidable in our world but also that necessary steps have already been taken to completely remove all suffering from our experience in the future. In the words of Jesus Christ, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
“Tribulation” is defined as a state of considerable trouble, distress or suffering. The question “why?” may be addressed either from the perspective of CAUSE (“I’m suffering lung cancer because I smoked cigarettes since I was a teenager”) or of PURPOSE (“I’ve suffered cancer so that I can counsel others who are struggling with the same disease”). In answering why a man had been blind from birth, asked by those who wanted to know the cause, Jesus answered with the purpose behind the man’s disability: “And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’” Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.’” (John 9:2-3). The miraculous gift of sight led to the man’s declaration of belief that his Healer was the Son of God (John 9:35-39),- the ultimate purpose of the man’s blindness from birth.
Every condition or situation experienced by man should, ultimately, result in his reverence of God, his Maker and Sustainer. To “revere”is to feel deep respect or admiration for,- or awe or even fear of, - someone. To revere the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is the very reason for our existence: mankind’s chief duty (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14) and Divine commandment to obey (Matthew 22:37-38; Mark 12:29-30; Luke 10:27). Everything we do, including how we respond to suffering, must bring glory to God (1 Corinthians 10:31), thanking Him through our Lord (Colossians 3:17).
Every case of rescue, relief or respite from an instance of personal pain or suffering is an occasion for declaring praise and gratitude to God (for example, in Acts 4:13-22). Of course, a measure of suffering must exist before help can come to get rid of or lessen it. Indeed, from the apostle Paul’s experience of his “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) which was not removed despite him asking for relief, we learn that even when suffering remains we are to “boast in our infirmities” and “take pleasure in them” for God has determined that His grace should be sufficient for us in facing those times.
Our experience of suffering has many purposes in God’s plan for mankind, particularly his salvation from the consequences of his sins. Chief among these purposes is to draw our attention to our Father of lights, the Giver of good and perfect gifts (James 1:17), to revere Him however He chooses to answer our plea for help.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.