Generally speaking, we can take a lot of hardships in life.
We have enough of perseverance to bear the hardships of life and to tolerate the difficulties in it.
But it is said that while people can take on the hardships of life, some become hardened of heart.
The hardships of life have hardened their hearts and they become pessimistic and they have little compassion for those who are suffering.
In other words, the hardships of life didn't do them any good. It only hardened their hearts and they also hardened themselves from others.
In the 1st reading, St. Paul gives a Christian understanding to the sufferings and hardships of life.
He says that the God of all consolation, comforts us in our sorrows, so that we can offer others, in their sorrow, the consolation that we have received from God ourselves.
Indeed, God comforts those who in their sorrow turn to Him to find strength and perseverance, and it is truly a blessing to receive God's consolation.
That is also the gospel message - that when we experience difficulties, hardships and sufferings, God is always there to give us His blessing.
Yes, God blesses those who trust in Him in spite of hardships of life so that they can be witness of His consolation and in turn become God's instrument of consolation of others.