I have this cute paperweight that was given to me as a gift with a picture of one little girl pushing another up a steep slope. The quote on the side reads,
It’s a useful reminder that we never suffer to help another out in need. Our generous giving and sharing benefits us too and takes us to a higher place.
“When you help someone up a hill, you get that much closer yourself.” ~ Anonymous
I read an interstesting article recently about the difference between pain and suffering. Pain is often easily endured if it has a noble purpose. Suffering is pain that is lacking in purpose. When we care for others, even if it may cause us difficulty, it is our calling, and has purpose. On the flip side, if we are suffering, we can search for the purpose. What do we need to learn? How can we grow? How can we become stronger through the pain (analogy- weight lifting)? Often suffering can be transformed into healing when the purpose is revealed and aligned to God’s light of truth and love.