No one likes adversity, but there is no escaping it. Life is filled with difficulties, challenges, and obstacles. We all encounter things that set us back and try to impede our forward progress. The road to success is filled with adversity. Things happen that if allowed to could break our focus and in some cases tempt us to give up on our God-given dreams. Jesus taught, “In this world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.” Trying to escape adversity is a futile effort. You can’t.
Someone once said, “What doesn’t break you makes you stronger.” While adversity can be painful, there are many positive things that come out of it if you look for them. My father called this “Looking for the silver lining behind the darkest clouds.”
The fact is you see what you look for in life. It’s all a matter of perspective. Stand fast in the middle of adversity. You will make it through. David wrote, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Lessons I’ve learned from adversity:
1. Adversity reveals your resilience. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from what knocks you down. It is the ability to get up and try again. One of the things I used to enjoy about championship boxing matches was seeing the resilience of a fighter that appeared to be down and out. To watch them draw of their inner strength and get back up and keep fighting and ultimately win the fight.
2. Adversity causes you to grow. We experience new levels of maturity and growth when we face adversity. Adversity causes you to stretch yourself, spiritually, mentally, and physically.
3. Adversity causes you to challenge your perspective of your performance. Someone once said, “If what you are doing isn’t working, change what you are doing.” There is nothing like the self-examination of your actions that takes place when you are facing adversity.
4. Adversity shows you inner strength you didn’t realize you possessed. When you are going through tough times you learn just how strong you really are. The Apostle Paul wrote, “When I am weak, then am I strong.” He goes on to say, “In my weakness, God’s strength is perfected in me.” When I am going through difficult times I know God’s strength is released in my life. In other words I begin to see how much stronger I am than I thought I was. Why? Because I see that I am strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
5. Adversity opens new doors of opportunity. Many great ideas and programs have been birthed because of the adversity someone has gone through. A prime example is MADD. The mother that started MADD did so after the death of her daughter due to someone driving drunk. Untold numbers of lives have been saved because of the actions of one woman. Her adversity birthed an opportunity that has impacted our society. Look for the opportunities hidden in your adversity.
6. Adversity can motivate you to positive action. It causes you to look for new ways of doing things. It inspires you to move towards your goals. How does this work? When you understand that life is full of adversity, and that everyone who has done great things faced it as well, then you are motivated to preserve and not give up.
7. Adversity reveals the faithfulness of God in your life. The Bible has much to say about God’s faithfulness to us during times of adversity. Notice what Isaiah said about God’s faithfulness. “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” (Isaiah 43:2) Jesus said, “Lo I am with you always even to the ends of the earth.” (Matthew 28:20) If God is with you in times of adversity then you can have the confidence that you are going to make it and in time things will turn around for you. You can be assured, better days are ahead!
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