Suffering and glory are two sides of the same coin

Suffering and glory are two sides of the same coin

This afternoon, I took on the role of being the panel chair for a dissertation that aimed to explore stress and well-being in both work and non-work domains. I found myself pondering: is well-being truly about eliminating stress? The more I mulled over it, the more I realized that maybe the answer lies in how we handle stress and personal struggles.

It is commonly said that growth occurs when we find a way to face our struggles head-on and come out of our battles stronger than before. In other words, it’s not about eradicating stress from our lives completely; rather, it’s about learning to cope and rise above it. This is how we can truly begin to flourish.

Flourishing isn’t about living a life free from hardships, but rather about taking ownership of our struggles, sufferings, and battles. It’s about making a deliberate choice to grit it out, persevere, and come out on the other side, wiser and more resilient. By embracing these challenges, we gain a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment that contributes to our overall well-being.

It’s essential to remember that we cannot rely on others to fight our battles for us. If we were to let others handle our problems and struggles, life would become boring, and we would remain stagnant, never experiencing growth or change. It would be like languishing in a state of decay, never knowing the satisfaction of overcoming obstacles and emerging victorious.

It might be a mystery why, but maybe, suffering and glory are two sides of the same coin.

Luke 24:13-35. Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 2023-102: APRIL 12, 2023]