It is said that what doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger. Certainly the people who have lost their homes and farms in the great Midwestern floods of spring 2008 will learn if this statement is true for them.
There was a sign outside a church that read “Adversity causes man to be introduced to himself.” When I first read this, I was confused. But the more I thought about this statement, it reminded me of the statement of what doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger.
When adversity comes into our lives, it is because we need to learn a lesson from the challenges that being presented to us or it is a method for us to see what we are really made of. Pressure makes diamonds and so adversity makes the human.
That is what this planet is all about – contrast. It is the presence of the good and the bad and our reaction to either that makes us humans beings – emphasis on being. We can choose to react with fear, with strength, with anger, with sadness or with love to almost any event in our lives.
We all learned a powerful lesson on September 11, 2001. Or most of us did; some did not, while others have let time diminish those lessons. And so now more adversity is upon us. It is what shapes and defines us, as we react to that adversity.
So when adversity comes into your life – watch how you react to it. What is the outcome you desire? How is your reaction and actions going to result into your desires?
I recently was laid off from my job in a time where more and more people are losing their jobs. I could have panicked. But I remained calm and began sending out my resume and going on interviews. I knew I would get another job and it would be the right job for me at the right time. I received a call for an in person interview on the Monday following my last day at my old position. The interview was on Tuesday. I got the offer call for the job on Wednesday. I would start the week following the next week—allowing me a vacation—something I had wanted and let the Universe know that I wanted.
I wasn’t sure it was the best job for me—until I got to the new job. I was traveling a little more than I wanted, but found a free web site that let me download hour long interviews and burn them to CD. Now I would have something to listen to on my drive—again something I had asked the Universe for. Also I was being compensated more now than my last position – out of special circumstances – so ultimately I received a raise. Plus the people were very nice – and the work itself was interesting, another couple of something’s I had asked for and received. My final sign that I was where I was supposed to be was my request for a nearby post office. I found the post office was a block away and with hours that spanned from early morning to evening. Okay, I said with a smile to the heavens above. Now I knew I was in the right place.
I could have panicked when my last position came to an end. But I didn’t. I remained calm and faithful that the Universe (or God—or whatever one calls that something Bigger than the rest of us—because I know It does exist) –would provide in my hour of adversity.
While I didn’t get flooded out like so many others, or burned out from the wildfires that are now burning in the west, I had lost my job – I did have adversity in my life. How I chose to react to that adversity, I feel was how the outcome manifested itself. As a result I grew stronger in my faith and in being confident that the Universe will provide for me in all circumstances, especially when I ask.
What adverse events are popping up in your life? How are you reacting to that adversity? What are you manifesting? Ask yourself these questions the next time adversity comes knocking on your door. Big or small, the universe will help – if and when you let it. May all your adversities be small ones!
Blake Cahoon runs a few web sites: AmethystMoon.com, LightEarthEnergies.com, is a writer and a film maker. She is a spiritual teacher and produces material to live a better life.
There was a sign outside a church that read “Adversity causes man to be introduced to himself.” When I first read this, I was confused. But the more I thought about this statement, it reminded me of the statement of what doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger.
When adversity comes into our lives, it is because we need to learn a lesson from the challenges that being presented to us or it is a method for us to see what we are really made of. Pressure makes diamonds and so adversity makes the human.
That is what this planet is all about – contrast. It is the presence of the good and the bad and our reaction to either that makes us humans beings – emphasis on being. We can choose to react with fear, with strength, with anger, with sadness or with love to almost any event in our lives.
We all learned a powerful lesson on September 11, 2001. Or most of us did; some did not, while others have let time diminish those lessons. And so now more adversity is upon us. It is what shapes and defines us, as we react to that adversity.
So when adversity comes into your life – watch how you react to it. What is the outcome you desire? How is your reaction and actions going to result into your desires?
I recently was laid off from my job in a time where more and more people are losing their jobs. I could have panicked. But I remained calm and began sending out my resume and going on interviews. I knew I would get another job and it would be the right job for me at the right time. I received a call for an in person interview on the Monday following my last day at my old position. The interview was on Tuesday. I got the offer call for the job on Wednesday. I would start the week following the next week—allowing me a vacation—something I had wanted and let the Universe know that I wanted.
I wasn’t sure it was the best job for me—until I got to the new job. I was traveling a little more than I wanted, but found a free web site that let me download hour long interviews and burn them to CD. Now I would have something to listen to on my drive—again something I had asked the Universe for. Also I was being compensated more now than my last position – out of special circumstances – so ultimately I received a raise. Plus the people were very nice – and the work itself was interesting, another couple of something’s I had asked for and received. My final sign that I was where I was supposed to be was my request for a nearby post office. I found the post office was a block away and with hours that spanned from early morning to evening. Okay, I said with a smile to the heavens above. Now I knew I was in the right place.
I could have panicked when my last position came to an end. But I didn’t. I remained calm and faithful that the Universe (or God—or whatever one calls that something Bigger than the rest of us—because I know It does exist) –would provide in my hour of adversity.
While I didn’t get flooded out like so many others, or burned out from the wildfires that are now burning in the west, I had lost my job – I did have adversity in my life. How I chose to react to that adversity, I feel was how the outcome manifested itself. As a result I grew stronger in my faith and in being confident that the Universe will provide for me in all circumstances, especially when I ask.
What adverse events are popping up in your life? How are you reacting to that adversity? What are you manifesting? Ask yourself these questions the next time adversity comes knocking on your door. Big or small, the universe will help – if and when you let it. May all your adversities be small ones!
Blake Cahoon runs a few web sites: AmethystMoon.com, LightEarthEnergies.com, is a writer and a film maker. She is a spiritual teacher and produces material to live a better life.
