Adversity

Life is unpredictable. It is sometimes too tough, with too much hard work, too much craziness and sometimes too unfair. These days I was reading about King David, one of the most revered kings in the Bible. A mere shepherd boy, he had just God in his mind as he looked after his father’s sheep. As he grew older, God anointed him to be king over Israel. But it wasn’t a peaceful transition as he had to fight King Saul who was rejected by God, Israel’s enemies, rebellion from within his own house and also from the defunct House of Saul and even from within the state. He had to fight urges of adultery, in addition to family strife. Yet today we know of him as the greatest king of Israel that ever lived.

A good portion of the content in the Bible is about adversity. It teaches how one gains from adversity as soon as he gains perspective about his struggles and how it has shaped him. Each struggle has been uniquely crafted by God to take you to the next level. Struggles in life are building blocks to being a fantastic human being. God wants us to live life to its full and utmost potential. If everyone lives their life to their full potential, this world would be a much better place.

I was reading recently that the baby boomer generation is retiring and there are no talented people to take over the workforce. That too me is an adversity but a bigger blessing in disguise. When I joined the oil and gas industry, I was never coached or mentored as some of the baby boomers would have been. Yet within in a limited time, I was able to do a fairly decent job as a Process Engineer. How is this possible?

Adversity and the perspective that you bring to it redefines us and takes us to the next level faster based on our willingness to learn from it.

But it doesn’t mean that adversity is always needed to take a man to the next level. I believe it is more or less imposing a type of step change. It means that business is not as usual and a step change is highly imperative. Easy times can refine you but seldom it provokes a step change.

David became great through his struggles and lived to see an united Israel. He was glorified and his time is still remembered as the greatest time of Israel that has ever been. When he died Israel was united and strong that it ever would be. His son Solomon, had so much grace from God and even wisdom that was granted from a God and not from any experiences. He took the kingdom to such greater heights, yet after he died, the country split painfully into two. The Bible says he forgot God and that’s why. I believe otherwise.

Loving and following God means you shoulder the cross. Life is then full of adversities as you shoulder the weight of that heavy cross in addition to the lashes from unidentified Roman soldiers (struggles in life). But you still make your way to the cross and then you are glorified.

Photo by Ian on Unsplash