Nothing Beautiful Comes Without Some Suffering
Nothing beautiful comes without some suffering.
Those are the words of one of the chapter titles in The Book of Joy, a book that documents a dialog between the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, with the help of Douglas Abrams.
As they talked about suffering, something they both know a great deal of, Archbishop Tutu talked about Nelson Mandela. This is a quote that inspires us to see suffering differently than we often do.
“When Nelson Mandela went to jail, he was young and bloodthirsty. He was head of the armed wing of the African National Congress, his party. He spent twenty-seven years in jail and many would say what a waste. And I think people are surprised when I say, no. The twenty-seven years were necessary. They were necessary to remove the dross. The suffering in prison helped him to become more magnanimous, willing to listen to the other side. To discover that the people he regarded as his enemy, they two were human beings who had fears and expectations. They had been molded by their society. And so without the twenty-seven years I don’t think we would’ve seen the Nelson Mandela with the compassion, the magnanimity, the capacity to put himself in the shoes of the other.” p. 44
Nothing beautiful comes without some suffering.
Reflect and apply some lessons
Below are some questions you can use to reflect on the suffering you’ve had or may be having right now. On a walk or with a journal, see what surfaces as reflect on your time of adversity.
What suffering have you endured that requires deeper reflection?
What beauty has been formed in you because of your suffering?
How can your suffering be used to help you better understand the struggles of others?
Do you have any unresolved resentments because of your suffering? If yes, what would be the benefit of letting that go and finding freedom from the prison you find yourself in?
Who would benefit from hearing your story of how your turned suffering into something beautiful?
