I think each of us have crosses in life that bring us closer to God. We will never know the pain that Jesus went though, however our crosses help us to understand sacrifice and selfless love. I believe they are also there to prevent us from growing too attached to this world. There is a incompleteness in our lives in this world that can only be filled by God. and so we look forward to the next world but realize we need to grow and be fashioned by the master carpenter Jesus to be ready for the next. If we are not we will not enjoy heaven nor be appropriate for it as we would have sin. Our sin needs to be chiseled out to make something more beautiful and pure. It is wonderful that he cares for a scrap like you or me. For that I am eternally grateful.