Definitely a good point.

Some religious experts think God works through suffering.

"Elihu, told Job he needed to humble himself and submit to God's use of trials to purify his life." quote from http://www.gotquestions.org/Book-of-Job.html

Then Charles Stanley lists the following as reasons for it:

(A definition of suffering: "Anything that causes us mental, physical, or emotional pain or irritates us in some fashion" (1 Peter 4:12-19).)

To get our attention (Psalm 119:67, 71)

To develop righteousness and maturity in us
To prune us (John 15:1-2)

To teach us obedience (Hebrews 12:5)

To teach us to trust Him (1 Peter 1:7)

To teach us to depend continually on His grace and goodness (2 Cor. 12)

To manifest Christ's life and character in us.

To purify our hearts.

To allow us to share in the holiness of Christ (Hebrews 12:10)

To teach us to give thanks in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

To develop character and perseverance (Romans 5:1-5)

To enable us to share in the sufferings of Christ (Philippians 3:10)

To prevent pride in our life (2 Corinthians 12:9)

To broaden our ministry (Philippians 1:12-13)

To reveal the evil nature of mankind and the righteous judgment of God

http://www.intouch.org/you/sermon-ou...sermon_outline

I had thought about walking the streets of Detroit in the middle of the night, to protect people.

Many years ago, I suffered from chronic stress which resulted in chest pains. Yes, meditation and especially breathing exercises helps to relieve stress.

I have a plan. I'll post my decision soon, God willing.

ya!

what about changing the desire to increase happiness and reduce suffering. Aren't you less happy because you are trying to increase your happiness? Maybe we can't control our environment but we can certainly control our desire to control it.

or what about taking a religious view that we are supposed to suffer and shouldn't try to change that. wouldn't that be happiness or at least peace which must have something to do with happiness.

OP, maybe go to a local church of similar faith? Christian communities seem quite friendly, for the most part.

Consider looking into Buddhism, since that religion functions around elimating suffering, and doesn't seem to contradict Christianinty AFAIK.

+1,000,000

The BBV poster Ch3ckRaise once stated a four-step path to ultimate happiness, much like the four Noble Truths of Buddhism. I remember the first three. Cash-->Bankwire-->atm. I forget the fourth

The common denominator that most happy people share is they have cultivated meaningful relationships with other people. How's your social network looking? Do you have people in your life who you could tell anything to, either for advice or just to get something off your chest?

Limited

Just internet, rare (4 x year) trips back to my hometown &...2+2

I need money to pay off debts and support myself, and having money would make it easier to help find someone, to spend my life with. Last I checked at online dating sites, girls wanted a guy with $45,000 yearly income.

It's hard to get motivated when I basically get the same dismal results throughout my entire life. It gets to be "why even try, I'll just get by" and that translates to having even worse results because "just getting by" results in things just getting overall worse and that results in caring less, which results in...

I'm getting too old for this.

I believe that I have compiled most of the pertinent information, that I need to solve this problem of increasing my contentment, if at all possible for me to do so. I have to breakdown the information. Maybe I can start posting it soon.

Sometimes I log in and look for happiness.

I feel for ya OP, I'm in the "why bother, let's just get by" but am only 20, only just starting to feel the progressive apathy such a life demands.

From what I have been reading from Op, it sounds like a good OP. But I hope you the help you need, and make sure you are safe.

The flow of suffering ceases with no storyline.
It's in the thought-based storyline where suffering perpetuates.

And that ties in with contentment,
For contentment is ease of mind.
And ease of mind is the natural state of one
that is not tied up in the stories and thoughts.
====
So, the next time you are feeling the energy of what you call suffering, do the meditation and the breathing exercises that you did before. And then where is the suffering without the story, without the thought attached to it?
====
It's in that state, where realizations will happen
that will reduce your suffering and where you'll find
that you already are content, free and peaceful;
and that it's the thought and stories
that disrupt that contentment.

continuing,

That place where you are meditating from,
that place where you are doing the breathing exercises from,
that place at the center of your being,
is the place where you are one with the One.

Increased happiness and decreased suffering doesn't happen
because the outside world is set up the way we want it to be.
Contentment and peace unfold from that inner place into outer manifestation.
And being wrapped up in the thoughts and storylines
hinders that unfoldment and our realizations of the One Source.