You suffer because you think you lack.
Suffering is experienced (felt), when we have a desire that is unfulfilled. This could be a desire to change the past. A desire for something you want now. It is any desire. Whenever we desire something that is aligned with God's will, we ask and the Lord provides it. God supplies all of our needs. The righteous never lack; the Lord is our Shepherd, we lack nothing.
So, when we desire something to be different than it is, and that desire is not being fulfilled, then this will cause a sense of internal suffering. It causes suffering because we perceive that we are lacking something good. If we believe that we are lacking something that is good this can cause us to subconsciously believe we are not fully loved. To feel fully loved we must perceive that we have no unmet needs.
If a desire is unmet, even a desire that appears to be holy or righteous, then it will cause suffering within us, unless we surrender the desire. To end suffering we must find contentment, we must choose acceptance.
Jesus desired for the cup to pass from Him. Yet, He accepted whatever God's will was. His desire for "the cup to pass from Him" was not met. This caused a degree of suffering in His flesh. When He aligned himself with the Father's will, and accepted the things that were occurring, an angel came and ministered to Him. Although He would still suffer externally (physically), He no longer suffered in His mind or emotions. They had been aligned with contentment and acceptance. Jesus could now face the cross with incredible peace. Instead of seeing his unmet desire, He changed His desire to be one that endured what was being allowed, the cross, for the Joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2).
If your desires are not being met, then end your suffering by choosing to accept what God has allowed. Don't conform to the pattern of the world, always wanting, needing, thinking about and chasing after unfulfilled desires. Renew your mind. A mind aligned with Christ is in constant peace about all things, at all times. When we renew our minds (thoughts, perceptions, and desires) to align with the Mind of Christ (the way that Christ thinks), then we will be able to know what God's perfect and pleasing will is.
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
Romans 12:2 NLT
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