--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The belief that one's suffering has a…" description: "\"The belief that one's suffering has a greater cosmic purpose, and is thus more exciting and more noble, well, it made a lot of sense to me.\" — Heidi Ju..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/heidi-julavits-8173_belief_the-belief-that-one-s-suffering-has-a-gr_1729803.png" --- # The belief that one's suffering has a greater cosmic… ![“The belief that one's suffering has a greater cosmic purpose, and is thus more exciting and more noble, well, it made a lot of sense to me.” quote by Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/heidi-julavits-8173_belief_the-belief-that-one-s-suffering-has-a-gr_1729803.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/heidi-julavits-8173_belief_the-belief-that-one-s-suffering-has-a-gr_1729803.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/heidi-julavits-8173_belief_the-belief-that-one-s-suffering-has-a-gr_1729803.png) > “The belief that one's suffering has a greater cosmic purpose, and is thus more exciting and more noble, well, it made a lot of sense to me.” [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Finding meaning in suffering can make it seem noble and exciting, but this may be a comforting rationalization. **In simple terms:** Suffering seen as noble gives purpose. Key Takeaway Question the purpose you assign. Themes suffering meaning existentialism Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical introspective When to use this quote - grief counseling - creative writing - spiritual practice Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What purpose do you assign to pain? - Is noble suffering truly beneficial? A Different Perspective May romanticize pain. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [The purpose of your life fits into a much larger, cosmic purpose that God has designed for eternity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-purpose-of-your-life-fits-into-a-much-larger-cosmic-purpose-that/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [The significance of our lives and our fragile planet is then determined only by our own wisdom and courage. We are the custodians of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-significance-of-our-lives-and-our-fragile-planet-is-then/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [My final belief is suffering. And I begin to believe that I do not suffer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-porchia/my-final-belief-is-suffering-and-i-begin-to-believe-that-i-do-not/) [Antonio Porchia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-porchia/) > [“The other important thing to understand is that as humans we see only a segment of reality in the greater cosmic scheme of things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kingston/the-other-important-thing-to-understand-is-that-as-humans-we-see-only/) [Karen Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kingston/) > [“No cosmic purpose is served by our suffering or that of those dear to us—just as no cosmic purpose is served by our being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arun-shourie/no-cosmic-purpose-is-served-by-our-suffering-or-that-of-those-dear-to/) [Arun Shourie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arun-shourie/) > [Art is about cosmic beauty. Science is about cosmic order. Religion is about cosmic purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-g/art-is-about-cosmic-beauty-science-is-about-cosmic-order-religion-is/) Paul G > [Better by far to embrace the hard truth than a reassuring fable. If we crave some cosmic purpose, then let us find ourselves a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/better-by-far-to-embrace-the-hard-truth-than-a-reassuring-fable-if-we/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [So those who wished for some central cosmic purpose for us, or at least our world, or at least our solar system, or at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/so-those-who-wished-for-some-central-cosmic-purpose-for-us-or-at/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [You will be consoled according to the greatness of your sorrow and affliction; the greater the suffering, the greater will be the reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-de-pazzi/you-will-be-consoled-according-to-the-greatness-of-your-sorrow-and/) Magdalena de Pazzi > [ “No pain can be greater than the pain of one person. \[...\] In other words, no suffering can be greater than that of one… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-wittgenstein/no-pain-can-be-greater-than-the-pain-of-one-person-in-other-words-no/) [Ludwig Wittgenstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-wittgenstein/) > [All people believe their suffering is greater than others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/all-people-believe-their-suffering-is-greater-than-others/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [“More and more, it seems to me that compassion dwells in the tough, not the tender-hearted, because it requires us to come to terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-nietzke/more-and-more-it-seems-to-me-that-compassion-dwells-in-the-tough-not/) Ann Nietzke > [Charity is a cop-out so traditionally female in its apparent self-effacement that there seems resonant comfort in it. We're no longer supposed to serve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-rule/charity-is-a-cop-out-so-traditionally-female-in-its-apparent-self/) [Jane Rule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-rule/) > [I can very well do without God both in my life and in my painting, but I cannot, suffering as I am, do without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-van-gogh/i-can-very-well-do-without-god-both-in-my-life-and-in-my-painting-but/) [Vincent Van Gogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-van-gogh/) > [“This part of the story shows something of the suffering of a true prophet. It is true that the greater the suffering the greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/this-part-of-the-story-shows-something-of-the-suffering-of-a-true/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) ## More by Heidi Julavits > [I am simply looking for a companion with whom to spend my days, a companion who will cherish as much as I the stupidity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-am-simply-looking-for-a-companion-with-whom-to-spend-my-days-a/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [There are some writers who are done when they finish a draft because they've thought it through beforehand. Whereas I'll finish a first draft…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/there-are-some-writers-who-are-done-when-they-finish-a-draft-because/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I won't deny that I have a far more productive writing life without the Internet, mostly because I rekindle my ability to concentrate on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-won-t-deny-that-i-have-a-far-more-productive-writing-life-without/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [“I take you for a girl who's eager to grow unstable at the first indication that things can come back to haunt a person,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-take-you-for-a-girl-who-s-eager-to-grow-unstable-at-the-first/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I'm at that age where I notice friends checking out my face and wondering, Has she been Botoxed? There's a new map there people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-m-at-that-age-where-i-notice-friends-checking-out-my-face-and/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [If, at some future point, my face collapses around my eyes, I'd probably do something about it. My eyes are where I live, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/if-at-some-future-point-my-face-collapses-around-my-eyes-i-d-probably/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I obviously read and adore traditional fiction. I teach traditional fiction; I also teach all kinds of not-so-traditional fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-obviously-read-and-adore-traditional-fiction-i-teach-traditional/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I obviously read and adore traditional fiction. I teach traditional fiction, I also teach all kind of not-so-traditional fiction. And since I'm such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-obviously-read-and-adore-traditional-fiction-i-teach-traditional-2/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I wouldn't be myself if I weren't always trying to be someone else. I only have so much time on this earth and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-wouldn-t-be-myself-if-i-weren-t-always-trying-to-be-someone-else-i/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [If you agree with an outside person's interpretation of you, that's a happy bit of affirmation. It means you're communicating externally what you believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/if-you-agree-with-an-outside-person-s-interpretation-of-you-that-s-a/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I have a daughter who, when younger, possessed no barrier between her emotional self and the outside world. Her emotional insides spilled out all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-have-a-daughter-who-when-younger-possessed-no-barrier-between-her/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I can't even tell you what else I imagined. I can only humiliate myself to such a degree; at a certain point it becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-can-t-even-tell-you-what-else-i-imagined-i-can-only-humiliate/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [It's fascinating to imagine two successful writers in one house. But when you think about it, it isn't very unusual. In fact, so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/it-s-fascinating-to-imagine-two-successful-writers-in-one-house-but/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [When my husband first read a draft, he said, "You spend too much time describing the characters' outfits." He was right. I removed much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/when-my-husband-first-read-a-draft-he-said-you-spend-too-much-time/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [I really did for a few weeks think, I'm in pain because the world needs me to save it. Which is so ridiculous and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/i-really-did-for-a-few-weeks-think-i-m-in-pain-because-the-world/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) [Explore all 83 Heidi Julavits quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. Arguments which penetrate into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-koestler/the-inner-defenses-are-unconscious-they-consist-of-a-kind-of-magic/) [Arthur Koestler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-koestler/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [In business, as in politics, it is never easy to go against the beliefs and attitudes held by the majority. The businessman who moves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-paul-getty/in-business-as-in-politics-it-is-never-easy-to-go-against-the-beliefs/) [J. Paul Getty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-paul-getty/) > [There's no greatest moment in the arts. It's a life; it's a continuity thing. You can't have a great moment because it's spiritual. 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Contrary to popular belief, it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/to-preserve-an-unclouded-capacity-for-the-enjoyment-of-life-is-an/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) [Browse all 10,268 Belief quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The belief that one's suffering has a greater cosmic purpose, and is thus more exciting and more noble, well, it made a lot of sense to me.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Heidi Julavits" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/the-belief-that-one-s-suffering-has-a-greater-cosmic-purpose-and-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Belief" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/the-belief-that-one-s-suffering-has-a-greater-cosmic-purpose-and-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/heidi-julavits-8173_belief_the-belief-that-one-s-suffering-has-a-gr_1729803.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/heidi-julavits-8173_belief_the-belief-that-one-s-suffering-has-a-gr_1729803.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d06/heidi-julavits-8173_belief_the-belief-that-one-s-suffering-has-a-gr_1729803.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The belief that one's suffering has a greater cosmic purpose, and is thus more exciting and more noble…” — Heidi Julavits", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Heidi Julavits", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The belief that one's suffering has...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/the-belief-that-one-s-suffering-has-a-greater-cosmic-purpose-and-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/the-belief-that-one-s-suffering-has-a-greater-cosmic-purpose-and-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```