Blessed-- vs. Suffering

So I've been thinking a lot about the subject of blessings lately as I feel like God has been blessing me. I've gotten both of the jobs I wanted for this summer/next school year and feel like that is a HUGE blessing, especially in this economy. They're also leadership-type jobs, and I feel like I am constantly being blessed with getting leadership positions. I have this AMAZING scholarship that I don't even know how I earned ... I mean, besides the fact that God loves me and must want to do something amazing with me (which scares me because how can I be amazing? Such responsibility!), I have a great and caring husband, I have a good family who brought me up well (and good in-laws), I have been able to travel the world, I have a computer and TV, I have a house, I have been attending school for 16 years now (something very few people in this world ever have the chance to do), I have a closet full of clothes and a pantry full of food, I have a car, and I have around six Bibles in my house. I could go on and on, but these things alone set me apart from most of the world in being one of the most privileged and blessed. And sometimes... a lot of times... I just wonder WHY? And a lot of times... I think "Well, God must want to USE me."
But this is where it all gets sticky with me. You see, USE ME... to me... seems like I should be in some third world country serving him. And to be quite honest, I love third-world countries and would have no problem living in one. But sometimes I don't really think that's where God wants me. He's given me such a gift for mentoring-type relationships and a passion for youth, and maybe I'm supposed to use that here in the U.S. to help raise up the next generation.
But then I think about when I went to Africa. Honestly, I would say I was closest to God during that summer. And when I think about all of the times in general when I was closest to God, they were a result of suffering (if you could even call it that) or going through tougher times in my life. I long for those times when I feel closest to God even if it means being in an unfamiliar place, but I wonder if I'm just doing it all wrong. I mean, if I really think that God wants me here in the U.S., and if I continue being blessed here, how do I feel as close to God as I do when I'm suffering? Is it wrong not to "feel close" if I am still spending time with him daily? I mean, how much should our "feelings" play into our relationship with God? And if I'm not suffering, is it wrong? Should I have daily sufferings as a result of living a full sold-out-for-God life?

I know this is a lot of questions and not a lot of answers. Because I don't have them. I just need to write down what I'm thinking. I just look in the Bible at the people I respect the most and I see how a lot of them suffered so much... but yet... well- I'm going to stop there.