When faced with hardships in life, it’s important to remember that good things can come from unexpected places.
Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report
Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale
Once upon a time, there was a farmer who worked his fields for many, many years. Then, one day, his horse ran away. His neighbors said, “Such bad luck!”
“Perhaps,” the farmer replied. The very next day, his horse returned, bringing three wild horses along with it.
“Such great luck!” said the neighbors when they saw what had happened.
“Perhaps,” the farmer said again. Later on, the farmer’s son tried to ride one of the wild horses, but fell off and broke his leg in two places.
“Such bad luck!” proclaimed the neighbors once more.
“Perhaps,” replied the farmer.
The next day, military officials came into town to enlist soldiers for the war. When they saw the farmer’s son, they passed him by due to the condition of his leg. The neighbors came to congratulate the farmer, saying “Such great luck!” yet again.
As always, the farmer replied: “Perhaps.”
Just as we see from this story, sometimes a curse can turn into a blessing. Unanswered prayer can become the greatest gift. You never know what begets something else. So, whether you believe that everything happens for a reason or that everything happens by chance, the message is the same.
“
Sometimes a curse can turn into a blessing.
”
I first heard this story from Darren Hardy, a success mentor, whose service “Darren Daily” sends messages out throughout the week. I absolutely loved this story and what it teaches.
Another tale that comes to mind in this lesson is the Bible story of Joseph, who was left for dead by his brothers. Despite this, Joseph survives.
Then, a famine comes. Joseph has stored food away, but his brothers are not in such a fortunate position. They don’t recognize their brother and come to Joseph asking for help. When they see that it’s him, they are terrified. Nevertheless, Joseph replies, “What you meant for evil, God meant for good.”
Thinking about these stories, I’m also reminded of something my seven-year-old said recently.
She told my mother, “You know, it was really really tragic when Grandpa was sick and passed away. But, otherwise, we would have never moved into this house.” It was this move that actually helped my family become closer to one another, and that led my siblings and me to start our foundation, JO Gives, in memory of our father.
I hope these lessons and messages help you in the same way they’ve helped me. As always, if you have any other questions or would like more information on any topic we’ve discussed, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.