#blessing #suffering #divorce #faith #victory #challenges #gratitude #turningpoint #protection #courage #ivorytower
Author: Dolly Wang
Wang Yumei, also known as Dolly Wang, is an overseas Chinese writer. She was a reporter for World Journal Texas and the editor-in-chief of "Passion Garden" at China Outreach. She has written columns for newspapers and magazines under pen names such as Wang Yumei and Wang Jie. She is now retired and focuses on writing and creating collage art.
In 1994, I divorced after years of conflict in my marriage, and it finally ended.
A friend of mine candidly shared her feelings when facing hardships. She said that since childhood, she had faith and therefore saw what most people considered suffering as tests from God. Whenever she faced hardships and trials, she viewed them as God's blessing in disguise. She gave me an article from Reader's Digest titled "Here Comes the Lion." The article told readers that everyone goes through life in their own way, but we often only see the surface. In fact, difficulties and hardships are always there.
At the time, another friend lent me two books, "Good Rewarded with Misfortune" and "Renewed Inside Out." In "Good Rewarded with Misfortune," the emphasis is on teaching us, "When hardships come, do not give up faith in God..." God has His reasons for what happens. If you keep your faith, He will compensate for your loss when the time comes.
Life was a bit tougher as a single mother. As both a strict father and nurturing mother, I worked hard to give my only son “Little Bull” plenty of love and teach him to love others. I believe in what Mother Teresa said: "Those who can give love will always be happy and live a meaningful life."
During our nomadic life, I told "Little Bull" the story of three unique doors at Cambridge University in England—"The Door of Virtue," "The Door of Humility," and "The Door of Honor." I constantly reminded him that although our life was different from the past, we not only learned to live with dignity but also remembered the importance of virtue, humility, and honor. Understanding how to respect others helps us better appreciate true love.
Years after my divorce, when someone occasionally talks to me about past experiences, I don't feel resentment; instead, I feel full of gratitude. If I had not experienced that difficult marriage, I might have never left my ivory tower. In that battle of marriage, I was always accompanied by benefactors and realized that truth exists.
The failed marriage did not break me; instead, it turned me from a weak woman into a courageous person ready to face various challenges alone. “Little Bull” learned independence at the age of thirteen when our lifestyle changed from affluent to poor. He helped me sell items at flea markets and craft fairs on weekends and matured quickly in how he viewed people and things.
In my youth, I used to ask, "Why does the world have so many injustices? Why do so many hardships always fall on good people?" As the old saying goes, "The old man from the frontier lost his horse; who knew it might lead to good fortune?" and "Blessings often come from misfortune" are not without reason. Many events happen for a reason, and if you see them as opportunities and turning points, face them with patience and faith; no matter how the process goes, everything can be endured, and you can pass these trials and emerge victorious.
"The significance of trials is not only to test the value of something but also to increase its value, just as rain and wind not only strike the oak but also increase its resilience." [Streams in the Desert]
When we encounter a lion, we often think of it as an unfortunate event, so we cry and hide. If we don't let the lion's appearance scare us but see it as a blessing in disguise and ask God to forgive our mistakes and grant us strength to pass various tests, we will eventually discover that all the luster comes from being honed.