The Gift of Difficulties
Raw Honey Bliss The Gift of Difficulties
Hard times. It is what we all wish we did not have to experience, but what we came into this lifetime to learn from.
We want the expansion that comes from hard times, but we resist the challenge itself. Why is that? Not only have I learned so much about myself through my own hardship, but I have gained a lot as well. That is what I want to talk to you about today—the gifts you gain from hard times.
With each hardship comes deeper access into the strength that lives inside you. Hard times push you towards accessing your own strength. The deeper you tap into your strength the deeper your resilience to rise from anything. As I type I am hearing, "From this too you will rise." A lot of times we do not realize the significance behind the word strength until we are met with a hardship that challenges us to dig deeper into our own. This is why it is important for me to take the time to acknowledge just how significant it is. You will never go through a difficult time without gaining more strength. Remember that.
Appreciation is another gift you gain from adversity. I am talking about appreciation for your loved ones specifically, the people who mean the most to you. We always hear from other people's experiences that we should appreciate the people in our lives while we still have them. We never know how true that statement is until our time with our loved ones feels uncertain. We should never wait until we are met with this kind of adversity to appreciate the people that we love, but as humans we are learning. Appreciation allows you to look at the people in your life in a new light. Appreciation allows you to recognize the beauty within others. Appreciation allows you to feel a deeper connection with others. As you go through your own challenges in life you will notice the appreciation you gain towards others.
Now, I cannot talk about the beauty of hard times without mentioning gratitude. With each difficulty you encounter you have an opportunity to expand the gratitude you have for people, for things, for life itself. Although appreciation and gratitude are similar, the subtle differences have become more apparent since coming to this point on my spiritual journey. Appreciation is that of acknowledgement or recognition for something or someone. Gratitude is a feeling of thankfulness. Gratitude says through feeling, "I'm thankful for you." It's a deep appreciation, so deep that it requires a word like "Gratitude" to express just how deep your appreciation is. Can you feel it? That my friend is gratitude.
Strength, appreciation, gratitude—these are just three gifts you gain through each difficulty you experience. As Spiritual beings having a human experience we do not have to look forward to difficulties, we just have to be willing to recognize the gifts that lie within them. I am so happy to have reached a point on my spiritual path where my eyes are more open to the gifts that reside in each moment. It is my wish that every single person who experiences difficulty is willing and open to acknowledge those gifts also.