What are the benefits to the soul for suffering in life?
 

We all suffer in life to a degree.

Some more than others, but from what I have read, Earth is a tough school.

If you suffer more than most due to illness or poverty etc, what is the benefit to the soul?

What happens to the soul due to the learning experience on Earth?

Some suffering is Karma from this life or the last.

Another cause of suffering may be an inability to see and feel the/your light due to many things

Really, the only answers to this question is in the context of your own Life. The focus of your question is on the suffering but we're not here to suffer as such, that tends to be a 'by-product'. What are the benefits of you having gone through the experience of.. illness, poverty... anything else that hasn't been such a nice experience? How do you cope with illness and what kind of person does that make you? How do the people around you react to you being ill? Do they show their friendship/Love for you or do they stay well away?

It's not about the illness or the poverty, it's about what happens because of it and how you - and others around you - deal with it.

I once heard someone answer your question this way and it made a lot of sense. I don't remember the particular words but I'll try.

You can never completely know the joy of a delicious meal until you have been hungry.

There are many variations on this but to me, this makes a great deal of sense. Earth is a place of light and shadow. Every ounce of suffering while living on this world is not only made whole and complete when we depart, but we are rewarded immeasurably. But without having experienced the lack of "heaven", we could not fully appreciate it. By that I mean we are made greater.

Some people would say that the suffering we experience in life is meaningless, and when we die that's it. I don't fully agree nor do I disagree. I think there may be a purpose to it. I just can't know with unwavering certainty.

One of the things I see when discussing suffering tends to be stated from the perspective of me or I, such as (not I) all suffer seeing from the I. Do we in general, society and such, not also cause and contribute to it to a degree among each other. We do tend to think of this as a learning experience which might mean not causing it to. iwo, is the feeling the soul is perfect.

Since suffering happens in the mind, one could say, a first step would be, overcoming suffering.

Once we come to the realization what suffering is, and we can move out of this state at any time, it has a sling shot effect on our development.

What is a soul?
Where does this come from in you to ask?

Soul knows. So even though it may feel it's heart breaking due to our ignorance. The soul does not suffer.

With Love
Eelco

What one person considers suffering another person may not consider suffering. The thing I have learned is not to suffer too long over my perceived suffering. There are no problems in life, there are only challenges, and challenges can help us grow and gain skill.

There are some who associate suffering with a lack of material goods or money; others might see themselves as suffering because they feel isolated. Some might say they are suffering because of an illness or injury. An there are those who might list a combination of things.

It is not so much what life hands us as it is how we react to what life hands us. I have seen people come to America from very poor countries and end up doing better, and be more successful, than people who were born and raised in the U.S.

i've heard it said that the earth is a graduate level school, suited for advanced
students.

i doubt that there is any value to suffering. i imagine that those who've had
more extreme experiences are likely to have developed a greater degree of
empathy towards others with difficulties.

perhaps the soul has become prepared to be the master of it's being through
the learning experiences on earth.