Hebrews 12: 11

Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

When going through difficulties, adversities, or challenges, it is customary to focus on the end product. We spend a long time meditating on a solution, and thinking about when the problem will be over. We are often in a hurry to end the ordeal, and rightly so because the situation is unpleasant! However, in doing so, we miss out on the lessons that come with each challenge. Believe it or not, life has valuable lessons interwoven with whatever unpleasant situation it presents.

The natural tendency is to focus all our attention and energy on solving the problem, wriggling out of the situation, or seeking a solution, while ignoring the opportunities staring us in the face! Pay attention to the underlying process, because this is where our character is developed, our skills are sharpened, and our capacity is built!

The story was told of a woman who sought to develop patience as a virtue – she prayed to be more patient in life. In a matter of weeks, she found herself in an annoying situation. Every attempt to get out of this situation kept taking her round and round in circles. Finally, she stopped wrestling and began to pay more attention to the process.

To her amazement and delight, she began to spot some lessons that ultimately fostered the development of patience! It was during this process that she learned how to tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry, upset or irritated. She learned how to deal kindly with provocation, annoyance, and misfortune.

I have personally gone through situations that taught me self-control! Sometime ago, a dear friend of mine did and said some hurtful things that really got to me. I had two options – either engage in a fight and set the records straight, or give it over to God and allow Him fight for me. My flesh and mind already devised many things to say, but with much prayer, I handed my pain to God – it was a hard lesson on self-control! Each time the flesh flared up and my tongue got ready to spill those defensive words, I drew on the strength of self-control to overcome my intentions.

This article is meant to encourage us to focus our energies more on finding one or two lessons within the challenges or difficulties we are faced with. There are several opportunities in life for self-improvement, including difficulties. So if life presents some unpleasant situations, flip the table around and use that issue as a learning tool! At the end of the day, let that situation make you a better person! This is how to maximize the outcome of an unfortunate experience!

I would love to hear your story – what have you learnt from life’s challenges? Share your thoughts in the comment section.