Because I want you to be great, and that requires adversity for you to grow.
Kintsugi, Photo courtesy of Wagamama
The ancient art of Japanese Kintsugi (golden joinery/repair) is the perfect analogy and most powerful metaphor for displaying fragility, strength, beauty, healing and transformation. When we begin to see things from a different perspective we are then able to embrace what seems broken, flawed and imperfect to create a masterpiece.
There is nothing new under the sun, yet every breakage is unique and every mishap causes an inconvenience, but they all have one thing in common - it can happen all of a sudden and cannot be reversed.
So what do you do?
We transform our pain into purpose, our tests into a testimony, our trials into triumph and once we do, we no longer become victims of our circumstances but can stand in victory. All that we go through becomes part of the process of becoming. The act of defiance in hardship births success - this is when you dictate and rise above your situation, not letting the labour pains of adversity stop you from giving birth.
Kintsugi does not conceal, but rather highlights the cracks, the scars, and the unfortunate accident as part of the grand masterpiece. This sentiment can translate into our personal lives when we don't turn a blind eye to what's happening around us but face headstrong to thrive over the situation.
Regard it all as joy, when you face various kinds of temptations [trials and hardships]; for you know that the testing of your trust produces perseverance. But let perseverance do its complete work; so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing.
- Ya'akov (Jas) 1:2-4
Nature shows us the strength, beauty and purpose of adversity, from the darkest skies to the deepest oceans it whispers breakthrough. Our idyllic world omits affliction, but in reality, our world needs the storm just as much as the sunshine to survive. Likewise, pain, suffering, failure and injustice will interrupt and shake our world but we need it to survive; we need it to build our strength and we most certainly need it to make a difference.
That's not to say you must put yourself in compromising situations or pacify emotional and mental abuse, no, but when presented with tough situations, your attitude must change. The question then isn't "why is this happening to me?" and accepting it; but rather "how can I overcome this?"
Life's uncertainties can either make you or break you, but it all begins with being self-aware, knowing that you have the choice to evolve into the person that overcomes or to let your fears and insecurities hold you back. When we look at the people we admire, we see that they too had storms in their lives that they had to endure; these storms are no different to the storms in your lives, but are you yet to admire yourself?
Let us also boast in our troubles; because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. - Romans 5:3-4
What Can Adversity Teach Us?
1. Character Building - adversity introduces your inner self. It reveals your hidden strengths as it shapes your identity and propels you to walk towards your purpose. Adversely it can also demoralise you as you sink into depression if concealed and not positively approached. Overcoming adversities produces the following traits: endurance, patience, gratitude, resilience, humility, conscientiousness and confidence.
2. Resourcefulness - this is fostered into creativity where you find solutions to what failed. We become problem solvers and ingenious as we thrive to succeed. The hustle, the therapy sessions, the decluttering and reorganisation, the physical and spiritual detox, the establishment of boundaries, networking, and the list can be endless, but we make it work to enforce our survival.
3. Wisdom - where do you think your inspirational quotes come from? We hope you guessed it right. Valuable life lessons are drawn from hardships, this inspires not only ourselves but others to push through, so it must be shared. Your story must be told, don't silence your voice - it serves as a compass to gain clarity.
4. You Are Not God - we do not know how the story will unfold, our limitations directs us to The One who is not limited by our limitations. We often blame God for His faithfulness when it doesn't work in our favour, but His faithfulness cannot be manipulated. It is when we are crushed and weak that we see His strength, but God must be invited into our tribulations not cursed. With God at the centre, we are encouraged to be bold and courageous yet still. Yes God allows affliction to happen even to good people for a purpose, don't let that push you away from sitting at His feet. Just as the title says, it is all for our growth to reflect His image.
This is a message of love and in no way trying to belittle your experience. It is written to encourage you to see the light in the tunnel.