The word suffer can be used both as a transitive verb and as an intransitive verb. Real quick grammar lesson: transitive verbs require an object in order to have meaning - I can say "I catch a ball", but I can't just say "I catch" and have it mean anything. Intransitive verbs don't require an object, and usually wouldn't make sense if you tried to include one - I can say "I sleep", but I can't say "I sleep a couch". The reason that I bring all of this up is that the word suffer works either way. I can say "I suffered a major blow to the head" (transitive), or I can say "I'm suffering" (intransitive), and both are grammatically correct. But suffering transitively and suffering intransitively don't carry the same kind of meaning. If we are suffering intransitively, or suffering without any object attached to it, then our suffering really has no greater meaning. We aren't suffering for any greater purpose. We are just suffering without gaining anything from our suffering.
Intransitive suffering also carries with it no obvious escape or release or relief. We simply are suffering, with no obvious cause and no obvious solution. Suffering is just part of our identity. Some of us may at times prefer it like this. If our suffering has no object, then neither do we have any responsibility for our suffering. We did not cause the suffering to begin and we are powerless to cause it to end. We are hapless victims who can shelter in the comforting familiarity of our pain. However, if, on the other hand, we suffer transitively, suffer with some obvious object, suffer with some ultimate meaning, then we can take responsibility and ownership over our suffering. We have a clearly defined starting cause for our suffering and although we may not necessarily know at the beginning what will be the solution to our problem or the escape from our suffering, we still have responsibility and intelligence and creativity and the will to keep trying different ways to alleviate or at the very least to recontextualize our suffering so that if relief is not immediate, then at least we can immediately avail ourselves of the hard earned lessons in humility and wisdom and look forward with hope to the inevitable end of our suffering. Intransitive suffering has no object, no end and no purpose. Transitive suffering has all three. Our Savior did not suffer intransitively. He suffered so that all of us could be freed from the shackles of endless, purposeless, objectless, intransitive suffering. The very least that we can do is follow His example and make sure that none of our suffering is wasted with no object and no purpose. I know that if we are in the depths of sorrow, we can pray to our Heavenly Father and He will open our eyes and show us the ultimate object of our suffering and give us the hope and courage and relief to endure our suffering transitively.
