The Dual Faces of Life: Suffering, Enjoyment and the Power of Knowing

The Dual Faces of Life: Suffering, Enjoyment, and the Power of Knowing

Life in places like Nigeria, especially in a bustling city like Lagos, can only be truly understood through experience. The layers of suffering interwoven into daily life are hard to grasp from a distance, and the emotions they evoke cannot be fully explained. Often, the luxuries and beautiful things we admire are built on the backdrop of this suffering. Securing such comforts isn’t easy, unless one is born into them—and even then, permanence is not guaranteed.

Growing up in Nigeria means witnessing suffering in its many forms. For some generations, this suffering becomes a foundation—a raw, painful knowledge they endure and then use to rebuild their lives. Other generations, however, find the weight unbearable and either escape their location or flee the country entirely.

The Difference Between Feeling and Knowing

Everyone encounters suffering, but not everyone knows suffering. This distinction is critical. To truly know suffering, one must endure it fully, feeling its weight and learning from its trials. Similarly, to truly know enjoyment, one must immerse in it completely. Lukewarm experiences—where suffering and enjoyment coexist without full understanding—lead to stagnation. Those who fall into this middle ground often depend on others who have fully embraced either suffering or enjoyment to guide them forward.

Denial of one’s reality—whether suffering or enjoyment—leads to delays and unfulfilled potential. For those born into suffering, acknowledgment is the first step toward transformation. Denial only prolongs the state. On the other hand, those born into enjoyment face the challenge of living up to the legacy of those who created that state. Their task is to sustain and extend the prosperity they inherited.

Overcoming Life’s Challenges

In the face of challenges, those who know suffering overcome because they have internalized its lessons. Those who only feel suffering, however, may crumble, blaming circumstances rather than seeking strength within. Similarly, those who know enjoyment use their understanding to navigate difficulties, while those who merely feel enjoyment are often unprepared for adversity, mistaking comfort as a universal solution.

Walking the path of suffering or enjoyment requires commitment. To know these states is to gain liberation and power, as knowledge provides clarity and purpose. Without knowledge, impact is shallow. For instance, feeding someone fish only fills their belly temporarily; teaching them to fish changes their life. True impact begins where knowledge begins.

The Burdens We Bear

The question of whether suffering is superior to enjoyment isn’t a debate—each comes with its burdens. The key is recognizing what one can bear. Both paths require resilience, and only those strong enough to shoulder their burdens can walk them fully.

The Language of Suffering and Enjoyment

Interestingly, when courting women, most men choose the language of enjoyment, even if their reality doesn’t reflect it. For a woman accustomed to suffering, this language may offer a sense of relief. For one raised in enjoyment, it represents continuity. But why don’t men speak the language of suffering?

The truth is, only men who know suffering can speak of it honorably. For those who don’t, it’s safer to promise enjoyment. However, it falls to the woman to discern whether the man’s reality is based on suffering or enjoyment. This discernment is only possible when one is deeply aware of their own internal reality.

The Many Faces of Suffering

Suffering wears many faces, and its levels differ depending on circumstances. Most people recognize physical suffering first, where individuals struggle to sustain themselves physically and emotionally. A lack of access to basic necessities like food, shelter, and other essentials is one of the most glaring manifestations of suffering.

For those who have life's essentials but lack the health to enjoy them, suffering takes on another form. This reminds us that suffering doesn’t exclusively belong to the financially disadvantaged, nor is enjoyment guaranteed for the privileged.

For example, the journey from poverty to wealth involves its own kind of suffering—hardship, sacrifice, and relentless effort. Similarly, moving from one level of wealth to greater riches comes with its challenges, including stress, greed, and the fear of loss. Even lacking the wisdom to properly manage wealth can lead to its own version of suffering, manifesting in financial mismanagement, poverty, and an endless cycle of fear and greed.

Breaking the Cycle

Suffering, when left unchecked, often becomes a cycle. Once it embeds itself as a lifestyle, breaking free requires operating at a higher level of awareness and action than the level of the suffering itself. As the saying goes, "You can’t solve a problem with the same mindset that created it."

This is where power comes into play—power is the key to overcoming suffering in all its forms. But not just any power; it must be sought and used wisely, as its true value lies in its application for good.

It is written, “The Lord gives the power to gain wealth,” and this power can help break the chains of poverty and lack. However, the journey begins with a personal decision. The first step to escaping a cycle of suffering is dissatisfaction—becoming uncomfortable enough with the situation to yearn for change. From there, one must be willing to endure whatever it takes to break free.

Ultimately, liberation from suffering is a personal choice. The question remains: are you ready to rise above it?

Conclusion

Life’s journey is shaped by our ability to know, not just feel, the states we encounter. Whether it’s suffering or enjoyment, true transformation and impact come from understanding the lessons these states offer. In the end, it’s knowledge—not mere experience—that liberates, sustains, and empowers.