ShareLAST week we began to look at the issue of adversity. We saw that adversity is a bridge we all have to cross on our way to greatness and it need not be a blockade that terminates our dreams. We ended by talking about how adversity invades our lives. We saw that misfortune causes adversity. Misfortune is an event or series of events that lead to undesired or bad consequences.

Life can sometimes be unfair. Life, many times, throws darts of misfortune our way. Misfortune comes to different people in different ways. To some it can be loss of a loved one, to others it could be the loss of a job. To some, it could failing an examination, to others it could be victimization at work. To some, it might be an accident and to some, it might be unemployment. Like they say, different strokes for different folks. One of the most common misfortune that hits us is loss - whether the loss of a loved one, our health or a job or business it is a painful experience. The more precious something or someone to us the greater the pain the loss will be. 

When misfortune strikes and when adversity invades our life, joy is turned to sorrow, laughter gives way to tears, hope become dashed and a process is set in motion that is designed to stop the execution of our dreams and purpose in life. We need to learn how to break through the barrier misfortune and adversity puts in our path.

Many times also, adversity is usually channeled through the instrumentality of a human vessel. Adversity can be the avenue or the by-product of the inordinate desire to manipulate things to suit people’s selfish ends.

Many times, when we have something or a position that seems to confer us with an advantage some people will not take it down well. People will react and respond to our promotion, position and prestige in different ways. Some people will be threatened by who and what we have and they will react to us negatively. It is unrealistic to expect that everybody will accept who we are or accept our position and status. This is a fact of life we must face up to.

When a person has a wrong belief that we are a threat to his/her well-being hatred can become a tool to make life adverse to us. When there is the belief that our life, position or status denies somebody else of recognition hatred becomes easy to yield to.

Hatred stifles communication. It leads to antagonism, agitation and anger which are inimical to effective communication.

When we are the object of hatred life is made difficult for us. We become the target of malicious, unfair and severe criticism. Our dreams and our words become objects of aggressive attacks. Life becomes almost impossible because we are under the attack of hatred – whatever we do is either misunderstood or misrepresented.

To be concluded next week.

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