Have you heard the expression “Into every life some rain must fall”? You realize that no matter how good a life seems, there are bound to be some bad things that happen.

We recently heard a sermon by Pastor Allen Walworth. He reminded us that we don’t always get what we want in life because the bad comes along with the good. If things don’t go just right, we get impatient. He said we’re used to telling Amazon, “Give me whatever I want and deliver it by noon tomorrow.”

Most people can find some good in their lives and some accomplishments. Maybe it’s finishing school, raising a family, working, or volunteering. Along with the achievements there may have been some rough spots on the journey. Maybe there was a divorce, passing of a loved-one, loss of a job or some other type of speed bump.

Yet, turning adversity around doesn’t always come on our timeline. You may have people in your life who didn’t gain fame or fortune but made courageous changes in their lives due to unforeseen circumstances or health concerns.  It’s not easy to use learning from very negative circumstances to find meaning and purpose in life – but it’s possible. Pastor Walworth gave some examples of people who have done just that. They could have become victims but instead they chose to be victorious.

Mother Teresa always is remembered as someone who was working with the poorest of the poor, the sick and hungry in India to spread God’s love. It wasn’t easy. She underwent many hardships and ended up with heart problems, but she had a purpose, and she never gave up. She even was awarded a Nobel prize in 1982 and was canonized as a Saint by the Catholic Church in 2016.

Then there’s Derek Redmond, a runner from the UK, who in 1992 was in the Olympic games in Barcelona.  During one of the races, Derek tore his hamstring and fell to the track.  He got up and started slowly limping. His father, who was in the stands, pushed through security to aid his son reach the finish line. The crowd gave Redmond a standing ovation. He went on to be a successful motivational speaker and still inspires people with his story.

Katherine Wolf, an actress and model, survived a stroke in her brainstem. As a result of the stroke, she is in a wheelchair and now shares the lessons she learned from her ordeal. She wrote two books, Hope Heals and Suffer Strong. She also started Hope Heals Camp for people who have had similar misfortunes.

Malala Yousafzai, from Pakistan, felt girls should be allowed to go to school, so she stood up against the Taliban’s restrictions. On October 9, 2012, she survived a shot in the head by a Taliban gunman in an assassination attempt. In 2014 she was a co-recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize and at 17 years old, she was the youngest to receive that award. She was able to complete her education in England. While speaking at the UN, she said, “The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power, and courage was born.”

Bill Wilson, known as Bill W, is someone many have heard of. In 1935 he co-founded Alcoholics Anonymous with Dr. Bob Holbrook Smith. Before his sobriety, Bill W.’s life was a mess. Since becoming sober he and AA helped thousands of people around the world dealing with substance issues. He took his adversity and turned it into the strength of helping others.

Notice some of the ways the people mentioned turned adversity around in their lives. They were courageous, fostered a positive attitude, persevered, and decided they would never give up. They found purpose for their lives. How they arrived at their goals varied, but they were not going to be victims. They determined to be victorious over their circumstances. As Napoleon Hill said, “Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”

What about you? What adversity have you faced and overcome? Also, what negative times hit your life that have resulted in learning that helped you become stronger? Note the strengths each of the people mentioned used in their lives. Now use that learning to help you. Instead of being a victim in any area of your life, you can be victorious and find your sense of purpose and meaning. Then you can enjoy even more contentment and happiness in your life

Chanhassen MN residents, Doug and Lynn Nodland are success coaches and owners of The Balance Center in Excelsior. Contact them at WeCare@TheBalanceCenter.com

© Doug and Lynn Nodland 2023 Articles and videos may be shared in their entirety with attribution.