Because I believe in the principle of the hierarchy, I believe there are levels to all things in this realm, as well as beyond this into the heavenly realms.
There, I believer there are the levels of Heaven from the highest to lowest, which is probably Purgatory and then the levels of Hell on down to the very lowest level.
I believe it is our sins, especially our unforgiving sins, that determine our level.
Practically speaking, it might be that sin lowers our energy, perhaps by draining Grace(?), or it lowers our vibration/frequency/light, perhaps with a dampening effect, but to discuss that would be too metaphysical and we are already there now as it is.
I see things in Scripture that seems to speak to such concepts, but thats really not its purpose or focus for the seeker/reader/student/believer/follower of God.
That is not Heaven in Scripture, which is never described as a place of suffering, though I am sure they will be tears at the judgment seat of Christ when we see how we could have glorified the Lord who gave Himself for us, but which event does not occur until the Lord's return, and the suffering of the loss of rewards is not to enable one to be be with the Lord, which all believers are at death, and one is saved despite the some of the works that was supposed to build the church with not standing the test of fire.
Go back and read again what I documented. wherever Scripture clearly speak of the next conscious reality for believers then it is with the Lord, (Lk. 23:43 [cf. 2Cor. 12:4; Rv. 2:7]; Phil 1:23; 2Cor. 5:8 [we]; 1Cor. 15:51ff'; 1Thess. 4:17) Note in the latter case all believers were assured that if the Lord returned, which they expected in their lifetime, so would they ever be with the Lord, though they were still undergoing growth in grace, as was Paul. (Phil. 3:7f)
And as David tells us, Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. (Psalms 16:11)
And the next transformative experience that is manifestly taught is that of being like Christ in the resurrection. (1Jn. 3:2; Rm. 8:23; 1Co 15:53,54; 2Co. 2-4) At which time is the judgment seat of Christ, which is the only suffering after this life, which does not begin at death, but awaits the Lord's return, (1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Timothy. 4:1,8; Revelation 11:18; Matthew 25:31-46; 1 Peter 1:7; 5:4) and is the suffering of the loss of rewards (and the Lord's displeasure) due to the manner of material one built the church with, which one is saved despite the loss of such, not because of. (1 Corinthians 3:8ff)
I believe it is our sins, especially our unforgiving sins, that determine our level.
Holding grudges certainly results in loss of joy, and a degree of chastisement even if we are not conscious of doing so, as with a sin of ignorance. But if we are aware of it and impenitently refuse to "drop the charges" in our heart in the Lord's long-suffering despite being convicted of our sin, then we are denying the faith, by which we were forgiven as born again believers. And to die in that state is to forfeit what faith obtained.
And choosing to forgive and doing so can be hard: Corrie Ten Boom Story on Forgiving
It was in a church in Munich that I saw hima balding, heavyset man in a gray overcoat, a brown felt hat clutched between his hands. People were filing out of the basement room where I had just spoken, moving along the rows of wooden chairs to the door at the rear. It was 1947 and I had come from Holland to defeated Germany with the message that God forgives.... And thats when I saw him, working his way forward against the others. One moment I saw the overcoat and the brown hat; the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones... [Betsie and I had been arrested for concealing Jews in our home during the Nazi occupation of Holland; this man had been a guard at Ravensbruck concentration camp where we were sent.]
Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: A fine message, Fräulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea! And I, who had spoken so glibly of forgiveness, fumbled in my pocketbook rather than take that hand. He would not remember me, of coursehow could he remember one prisoner among those thousands of women? But I remembered him and the leather crop swinging from his belt. I was face-to-face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze.
You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk, he was saying, I was a guard there. No, he did not remember me. But since that time, he went on, I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fräulein, again the hand came outwill you forgive me?
And I stood thereI whose sins had again and again to be forgivenand could not forgive. Betsie had died in that placecould he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking? It could not have been many seconds that he stood therehand held outbut to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.
For I had to do itI knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. If you do not forgive men their trespasses, Jesus says, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses...
And still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotionI knew that too. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. Help! I prayed silently. I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling. And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an incredible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes. I forgive you, brother! I cried. With all my heart!
For a long moment we grasped each others hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known Gods love so intensely, as I did then
(excerpted from Im Still Learning to Forgive by Corrie ten Boom. Reprinted by permission from Guideposts Magazine. Copyright © 1972 by Guideposts Associates, Inc., Carmel, New York 10512>). - http://www.familylifeeducation.org/gilliland/procgroup/CorrieTenBoom.htm