Adversity (II)

Last time we started discussing adversity. We saw the fact that we live in tough times. We live in the day and age where adversity is the norm. We live in a time characterized by misfortune, calamity and distress. These are indeed the times the Bible describes as the last days.

“BUT UNDERSTAND this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear].”  2 Timothy 3.1 Amplified

Nobody is immune from adversity. Adversity is a global citizen. Everywhere and in every nation adversity is present. Adversity knows no barriers. It is a common thread that weaves through the fabric of virtually every person who has or is making great impact in life.

In our journey through life, we sometimes get hit by misfortune.

“Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I’ll show you someone who has overcome adversity.” Lou Holtz

We find ourselves in situations and circumstances that are unpalatable. Without our consent, we get enmeshed in series of events that lead to undesired or bad consequences.

Adversity brings along misfortune. It changes our fortune and brings in calamity. When adversity invades our life, joy is turned to sorrow; laughter gives way to tears; hope becomes dashed and a process is set in motion that is designed to stop the execution of our dreams and purpose in life. Adversity introduces misfortune to people in different ways. To some it can be loss of a loved one, to others it could be the loss of a job, it could be failing an examination, victimization at work, an accident, unemployment, sickness or the loss of health of a loved one. It is different strokes for different folks.

We need to learn how to break through the barrier which adversity puts in our path. Adversity need not stop us. We must be resilient. We must develop the ability to bounce back after adversity.

“One thing about championship teams is they’re resilient. No matter what is thrown at them, no matter how deep the hole, find a way to bounce back and overcome adversity.” Nick Saban

“Adversity is inevitable, but difficulties or misfortunes don’t have to keep you from achieving your intended goals and finding the happiness you seek in business and in life. It’s how you overcome these adversities can make all the difference. Every challenge we successfully conquer serves to strengthen not only our will, but our confidence, and therefore our ability to confront future obstacles.” Larry Kim

Since adversity is inevitable wisdom demands we make adversity an educational incident and not a termination of our dreams.

“There is no education like adversity.” Benjamin Disraeli

Many times, handling adversity well produces strength.

“There are uses to adversity, and they don’t reveal themselves until tested. Whether it’s serious illness, financial hardship, or the simple constraint of parents who speak limited English, difficulty can tap unexpected strengths.” – Sonia Sotomayor

 

TO BE CONTINUED.

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Adversity Part 3

We have been looking at adversity. Last time we saw that adversity is a global citizen that has influence over everybody. That adversity need not stop us but we must be resilient.

The inability to bounce back after adversity shows the stuff we are made of.

“If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place.” Proverbs 24.10 message

Adversity can be dealt with and one way to do that is to learn from those who have encountered and overcome adversity. Joseph in the Bible is a classic case to learn adversity management.

Joseph had the misfortune of being hated by his own brothers. He was sold into slavery and ended up being sent to prison.

Many times also, adversity is usually channeled through the instrumentality of a human vessel. Adversity can be the avenue or the by-product of the inordinate desire to manipulate things to suit people’s selfish ends.

“Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other children because Joseph had been born to him in his old age. So one day Jacob had a special gift made for Joseph – a beautiful robe. But his brothers hated Joseph because their father loved him more than the rest of them. They couldn’t say a kind word to him.” Genesis 37:3-4 New Living Translation

Many times, when we have an advantage or a position that seems to confer us with an advantage, it may not go down well with some other people. They will react and respond to our promotion, position and prestige in different ways. Some people will be threatened by who we are and what we have; and they will react to us negatively. It is unrealistic to expect that everybody will accept who we are or accept our position and status.

“People hate those who make them feel their own inferiority.” Lord Chesterfield

Joseph’s troubles were compounded when he shared his dreams with his brothers.

“And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated  him yet the more.”  Genesis 37:5

“And he dreamed yet another dream, and told it his brethren, and said, Behold, I have dreamed a dream more; and, behold, the sun and the moon and the eleven stars made obeisance to me. And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.” Genesis 37:9-11

One of the greatest sources of pain and sorrow is to be betrayed by those who are supposed to protect, love and help you. Joseph ended up being sold into slavery by his own brothers. When adversity comes through people we look up to or love, it becomes a really painful thing.

TO BE CONTINUED.

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ADVERSITY Part 4

Our discussion has been on adversity. We have seen the fact that adversity is common to man but it need not stop us. We must make adversity as an educational incident and not as a stumbling block to terminate our dreams. Joseph has been our source of learning on adversity.

Joseph was wrongly accused by Potiphar’s wife and a new chapter of adversity was opened.

“So Potiphar gave Joseph complete administrative responsibility over everything he owned. With Joseph there, he didn’t worry about a thing—except what kind of food to eat! Joseph was a very handsome and well-built young man, and Potiphar’s wife soon began to look at him lustfully. “Come and sleep with me,” she demanded. But Joseph refused. “Look,” he told her, “my master trusts me with everything in his entire household. No one here has more authority than I do. He has held back nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How could I do such a wicked thing? It would be a great sin against God.” She kept putting pressure on Joseph day after day, but he refused to sleep with her, and he kept out of her way as much as possible. One day, however, no one else was around when he went in to do his work. She came and grabbed him by his cloak, demanding, “Come on, sleep with me!” Joseph tore himself away, but he left his cloak in her hand as he ran from the house. When she saw that she was holding his cloak and he had fled, she called out to her servants. Soon all the men came running. “Look!” she said. “My husband has brought this Hebrew slave here to make fools of us! He came into my room to rape me, but I screamed. When he heard me scream, he ran outside and got away, but he left his cloak behind with me.” She kept the cloak with her until her husband came home. Then she told him her story. “That Hebrew slave you’ve brought into our house tried to come in and fool around with me,” she said. “But when I screamed, he ran outside, leaving his cloak with me!” Potiphar was furious when he heard his wife’s story about how Joseph had treated her. So he took Joseph and threw him into the prison where the king’s prisoners were held, and there he remained”.  Genesis 39:6-20 New Living Translation.

The dart of adversity can pierce our hearts through the channel of false accusations.

“Even the false accusations of a person of dubious morality can taint the reputation of an upright servant.” Hock G. Tjoa

“To best respond to an accusation or attack, start by dealing with your own growing anger. Cut it off before the adrenaline slips into your blood stream. Take a deep breath and reinterpret the attack, not as a threat to your safety—unless it actually is, in which case you need to exit—but as a misunderstanding that has caused the other person to become frustrated or maybe even angry with you. This switch helps you turn from being angry—you’ve judged them as bad and wrong and deserving of a good tongue lashing—to becoming curious.

When you become genuinely curious, you reignite your center for logic and reason and turn off your anger response.” Kerry Patterson

TO BE CONTINUED.

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