My Personal Profile

“The greater the oppression, the stronger the rebound.”

Many questions played in my mind for a long time when reading this statement especially a person faces adversities in life. It is very hard to make it when many problems and failures occur together perpetually in different aspects of life such as financial, family, career, relationships, health and list a few during a short time without any prediction. The confidence level is low until you lose yourself and are hard to stay strong. Sometimes we have to admire those great people and heroes as they are able to create miracles in life with such negative circumstances especially in the silhouette even their emotions are like roller-coaster.

In trials and tribulations, your heart may break down and tears stream down from the corner of the eyes in the silent nights. You may doubt your own ability and strength to overcome the adversities. People may discourage and refuse your identity besides ability to do something. Nobody may understand your feelings but God is able to understand you, willing to accompany you to cry when pains and sorrows occur in life. He is able to heal every wound and painful memories in life, comforting every broken spirit without abandoning them. His graces make imperfection to be perfect, strengthening the weak people to become strong.

I could still remember that I attended a camp that was organized by Christian Fellowship, PKA in my university (University of Science Malaysia). The camp was named as “Camp Agape”, which means that camp of unconditional love. The speaker had spoken many encouragement words through different sections of sharing and many activities to deliver the unique message. Moreover, the praise and worship leaders had sung many touchable worship songs to reflect the true meaning and journey of the life. The audiences were so touched by a special love, reflecting their pieces and puzzles of life in sessions especially the speaker, Sister Annette Arulrajah came to pray for every camp participant.

The experience was real and impressive, I could feel that there was a strong message came to my mind. Mere words were so hard to describe the feelings. A kind of special love had flown into my heart continually to heal the deepest inner and unknown wounds in my heart. Probably I described it as ‘the love of God’, the love is so supernatural and I am sure that it was not from man! Suddenly I could feel that my heart was melt and soft. My body and souls were filled with the love, my spirit was renewed once again. Many pictures and old memories had passed through my mind on that time, I reflected them for long time when I closed my eyes to meditate them.

To practice the statement above, it is impossible for men but we can do that by His grace. Remember, never lose your identity especially in Christ in any circumstance when you are in the darkness of life. People cannot take away your identity and your strengthness, no matter how weak you are! You are created with your own unique and identities that no one is able to replace you. In darkness, you may lose yourself and your identities but God never refuse you any time. Mandarin proverbs state that heaven will put you to test before bestowing you heavy responsibilities to carry. When He solves your problems, you have faith in His abilities; when He doesn’t solve your problems, He has faith in your abilities. Thence, remember that you are the prince or princess of the kings of kings from time to time.

Dolly Parton has said that, “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”

The angle of perspectives and values for great people to view the adversities is different with others. They are able to persevere when encountering all the trials and tribulations in life. For them, they take it as a chance for them to understand themselves better when walking into a wrong path, preparing themselves from time to time. Take for examples, the bible characters like Paul, Peter, David, Job, Joseph and list a few. How about ourselves?

If we were from a well-fed and well-wear family since young, how would we know that prosperity will disappear during less favorable circumstance? When we have been though famine and wars, we taste the hunger and thirst in life. We will realize that the deterioration of moral values in society will happen when the resources are insufficient due to crimes may occur from time to time. The moralities may only be established on a materialistic basis. Then, we grow to be more mature physically and intellectually when we are aware to any change in the society especially the conditions are inadequate. Therefore, regardless who you are, adversities help you to grow.

So, what are adversities? Adversities are about facing problems, obstructing you to achieve your success and goals. Only a favorable circumstance helps you overcome difficulties and solve problems. In this situation, actually people are helping you to solve the problem so that you are able to reach your goals faster. For example, my parents clothe and feed me; teachers help me in schoolwork; classmates help me to take down the notes during the lesson in case the teacher picks on me. Under these circumstances, my problems are solved but am I the real problem-solver? Have I grown as a person? My education levels may be higher and my status is increasingly elevated but I am still the same person. Stripping off all the clothes and education qualifications, I am still a monkey. Hence, what we have to understand is the motivation for real growth in adversity.

I believe that if you have a choice, you won’t choose to walk to the paths that have many adversities. But life is always unpredictable and sometimes there is nobody can help you especially in the silhouette. In adversity, one has the courage to face up to challenges. In facing the challenges, you no longer have a favorable circumstance, strong backing or lucky breaks. What you only have left with bare hands and feet, you have to fight for your own kingdom. In this process, if you succeed, the success is your own. If you fail, at least you have tried. Isn’t such a life more admirable than reliance on others? Thence, regardless of whether you succeed or fail, at least you have put up a valiant light in the journey of life.

Let’s say you are born into the imperial family and brought up by royalty. Regardless how strong the foundation of your empire, if you are assisted by Napolean, Alexander the Great, Abraham Lincoln and list a few, will you grow under such circumstance if you are emperor? I am not so sure. Adversity helps to improve our innate characters, it enriches our experiences and strengthens our wills. It gives us a different perspective from those who are from favorable environment. For instance, people see the shiny exteriors, we are able to see the toilet. They see the brocades and delicacies, we are able to see the water basins. Aren’t such differing perspectives broadening of horizons? Isn’t this a development that we hope our children will occasionally experience? Parents may want the best for their children but the children must experience the growth by themselves. These two are different things.

Friends, we may not be as strong and giant as the ancient heroes like mentioned above. But at least we can make some changes to ourselves to growth in different aspects of lives, adapting to the negative circumstances to be overcomers in the journey of life. Thomas Edison spent 20 years completing 50,000 experiments to invent the alkaline battery. Someone had asked him, “How did you taste the fruit of success?” Edison told him, success is not the only end result. Adversities broaden our horizon, eye-views and enrich our life experience. As the saying goes, ‘every cloud has silver lining’. In life, people may turn you down but He will never let you down. He is the guidance and light when you are lost in the darkness. Remember, He will bless you so that your life will be fruitful and meaningful after bearing besides persevere to overcome the adversities.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)