Is a natural human drive. At its most basic, instinctual level, it probably deserves a lot of credit for keeping our species alive.
Suffering, of course, can have many degrees and nuances besides physical suffering that might threaten our bodily life. Sometimes it feels more like a difficulty, or adversity. Sometimes it feels more like discomfort or annoyance. The spectrum that runs between great joy and deep suffering is wide and rich. The path from the valley of death to the mountain peak of life is long, rugged, and often not clearly marked, yet we keep climbing as best we can.
Each of us has our own tendencies towards our own unique forms of suffering: One cannot bear to lose, or to be seen as a loser. Another cannot accept being just another face in the crowd. Another cannot endure a lack of understanding. Another easily accepts the peace of mind that others (particularly those in power) may offer. Another cannot stand being bored. Another cannot tolerate being powerless. Another cannot out up with discord or relational friction. Another cannot abide things being wrong or out of place. And yet another cannot handle being unneeded or unhelpful.
And I suppose whatever suffering you might be facing at any given moment, a good thing to do might be to pray that God would alleviate the suffering.
Yet sometimes the invitation—if you are going to follow Christ—might be to pray not that God would remove the suffering but that he might be glorified through it. To pray with a humble acceptance that perhaps even this moment of suffering might be part of why you are here.
