Suffering can humble us. In this way suffering can be seen as a gift. When we are humble (before God) we are are more inclined to obey Him and do His will rather than our own. This leads to sanctity which in turn to the promise of eternal life.
According to Br. Damien Evangelista O.S.B., some people argue that God accepts us as we are. This is true, but only the beginning. In this life God expects us to advance in virtue by cooperating with His grace and mercy. He calls us to be holy because God Himself is holy. Although spiritual perfection is not possible in this life, we should never stop striving for it.
All our actions and thoughts should be grounded in humility. Complacency is a subtle form of pride. Like the ten virgins we should be vigilant against this.
The saints did not hold a false humility, they were given the grace to see their sinful condition more clearly. This motivated them to take steps to improve in the spiritual life. St Alphonsus Ligouri said:
When a person is making headway, they will want to keep going forward. The further they advance the more they keep growing. As the light grows brighter, they think they are less virtuous and are doing little good. If by chance they do notice the good they have done, they see it as imperfect and of little account. As a result, they keep striving toward perfection, obtaining the grace not to grow tired. (Classic of Western Spirituality).
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