Explain what is our core suffering. To what extent do you experience this battle as your greatest pain? Why are we often not as aware of this deep distress in our soul as we are aware of the pain of divorce, death, rejection, violence, etc.?

Our core suffering is the thirst within our soul for the New Covenant. The battle between the present reality and eternal destiny.
It’s a struggle to ‘better life’ and ‘better hope.’ A quick relief from all kinds of present pain than bearing the fruit of long-suffering. Honestly, who likes suffering, who likes pain… the desire to end this soonest than walk a ‘long march’ of better hope.
We are often not as ware of this deep distress in our soul, because the pain of divorce, death, rejection etc are more visible.

The source of our core suffering is a heart that is not enjoying communion with God as he intended us to. I think that as humans we tend to view our pain of “second things” as our true sources of pain, when in reality it is our core suffering of a heart that is not seeking after God that is our source of pain. We are more acutely aware of our pain of “second things” because those are the things that are a part of our physical life while the battle of of “first things” takes place in our spiritual realm.

Our core suffering is to rebell against the love of God and his commands/word that is tattooed in our hearts. We miss it, because we get so fixed on what we can see or what we believe is causing us pain (death, illness, rejection, grief). I battle this suffering by submitting to God’s word daily. Repenting for sins and turning towards God and away from the things that are vying for my attention.