Most of us used to hear from our elders that ‘blessed are those who suffer‘. My age and practical experience have made me fully convinced how correct their words are! Sufferings train us to face hardships and reality of life.
They open our eyes and make us judge a friend from a foe. It is agreed that no one likes sufferings or adversity but isn’t it like running away of a serious patient from a surgeon’s knife?
It is a fact that life offers sweet as well as bitter fruits to everyone. But the fact is that no one likes the bitter fruits of adversity. It is unwelcome like an unwanted guest. It could chance upon us in any form-disease, loss, accident or sorrow.
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During the periods of stress, we curse our fate and even the God Almighty. In the process, we lose the will to fight back and make good our losses. We forget that after the fateful day, our sufferings ought to take a back seat to the process of recovery.
We fail to realize the good that comes out of the adversity because we insist upon seeing only one side of the picture. We become blind to the other point of view. We simply become upset and cry:
Out of life;
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A joy has taken flight.
In this world of the Almighty, we are a only small, insignificant part. We are too small to judge His working. Our position is like that of a small item in a huge departmental store. We are, therefore, unable to make any head or tail of its contents.
So, we complain and even doubt the existence of the merciful God. We in our ignorance feel that God is unjust, biased and cruel. However, if we think and observe calmly, we will be able to see the light at the end of the seemingly dark tunnel. Never forget that:
Behind a frowning providence
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God hides a smiling face,
His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.
We will thus soon understand that adversity is, in fact, a blessing in disguise. It makes the heart, soul and mind firm and well prepared. The character is strengthened. We in the process become more apt in dealing with the vagaries of life.
It is a trial and not a punishment. Suffering is a fire and we come out stronger and wiser after passing through it. It should be treated as a rare opportunity to prove our real worth.
In other words, sufferings refine the character of a person. Their impact is like a dark cloud that will, eventually, give rain and prosperity. Therefore, the darker the cloud, the heavier the rain. Has not somebody once said ‘there can be no gain without pain’?
We can not, therefore, deny that pain and pleasure; loss and profit; reward and punishment are parts of our everyday life. We cannot survive or prosper by avoiding one for another. We have to continue struggling hard, if we are to rise above the mundane emotions that pull a person away from the path of progress and righteousness.