How do you differentiate feeling empathy for others and suffering for them? If one of my children are in pain I normally react feeling bad about it. Then I logically try to tell myself that it is their life and they must go thru these things. It usually doesn't work for me. I "suffer" for them.

Can you suffer for anyone?
I doubt it.
I'm not even entirely convinced about empathy, people tell me they empathise with me when we talk about health problems, of course I'm polite but they haven't got a clue.
Mostly they try to project their guilt onto me.
Sympathy, yes please, understanding that I might be a bit grumpy, tired or in a bit of discomfort, certainly but empathy is one of those meaningless (to me) words that people use without thought.
No-one can feel another's pain, even people who have the same problems can only say,'I have some understanding of what you're going through'.
I was talking to a friend (male) about cancer, he'd had throat cancer and we were talking about when do men cry and we both said the same - in the shower where no-one can see you!
But that's not empathy, just a shared experience and a shared solution.

Sympathy is just a simple reaction of politeness towards ones misfortune where as empathy you feel literal emotional pain for them.  Your pain may not match that of the other person put you are still hurting for them.  Just as you can feel real good when you help them with their pain, that is if you can.  Remember emotions & logic are two-sides of a coin(only worth something when they are together)and never try to split them. Instead look to one side then to the other then back to 1st side you looked at.

Sorry you're talking complete rubbish, you can't feel my pain, my sense of loss.
You say you feel good when you help with their pain - again complete tosh, this is about you feeling good not them feeling better.

i think you can "feel" for others but suffering for others... I doubt we can ever suffer for others. Each one has to go through the process on their own. Like when my husband's brother died of cancer... I could feel Abhi's ( my husband) pain but i couldn't suffer like he did or understand what he was facing.. I suffered in my own way.