The great poet Maya Angelou said, “you can tell a lot about a person by the way they handle these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage and tangled Christmas tree lights.” In other words, you can learn the most about someone when they have failed at a task and how they choose to respond. The way someone responds to a situation reveals their character. It is important to find something that brings you happiness and joy to help you overcome adversity.
It might seem a mystery to some, but peace can be found in the storms of life or when we are entangled in our emotions trying to overcome difficult situations we have encountered. Each of us has days when life feels overwhelming because of what we are facing.
We only have to look at the trials of the biblical prophet Elijah to understand that peace can be found in adversity. The story of Elijah can bring comfort and encouragement to us. However, being a strong person of God does not mean that you will never feel discouraged, but rather, it means looking to God when faced with adversity will give you a level of confidence in life.
In the midst of adversity, we can take comfort in God’s words: “Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid. So, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will up uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
We are reminded through the promises of God that he will be with us during the storms of life. His words remind us that he is always in control and that he encourages us to place our trust in him when things get shaky in life or we feel uncertain about things happening in our lives.
Finding peace in adversity can be difficult. However, when adversity comes, communities often come together to help each other. We see this idea of coming together in the aftermath of those who were affected by the devastating wildfires in Hawaii.
Hawaii Governor Josh Green said that “the wildfires were the largest natural disaster in Hawaii state history.” Residents in Maui lost their homes and businesses and more than 99 people have died from the devastating wildfires. Remember, that we can find peace in the midst of adversity when we rely on God. So Never Give Up! Never Give Up! Never Give Up!
By Dr. Walter Ghosten
chaplain@lhp.net
