The meaning of suffering: You are a deity in training.
When you fully expand, you will have wisdom and understanding of both light and dark. You become the ocean that surrounds both. 
You came to this earth realm to be challenged on all facets. These challenges provide opportunities for practicing discernment.
With each challenge you get to choose between good vs evil, light vs dark, peace vs war, abundance vs lack, truth vs untruth, clarity vs delusion, benevolence vs malevolence.
Every time you choose a path, the effects of it will manifest. Your soul will either expand or shrink.
You are a deity in training here on Earth.
Do you wish to shrink into a polarity of hopeless negativity or naive positivity?
Or will you expand and become the ocean?