At some points in life, all of us experience things that feel like they will break us. Whether it’s from loss, failure, or whatever the cause, it’s part of being human. However, the cracks aren’t something to hide. In fact, they make us more capable, more empathetic, more resilient, more whole, and you could even say, more valuable.
“Look for the silver lining” is cliché, and depending on the timing of such ‘advice’, you may feel like punching whoever says it in the face. But clichés exist because they capture universal principles that stand the test of time. They are spoken so often, not because they are empty, but because generations have found them to be natural law.
‘Silver linings’ are rarely visible while we are in the thick of our trials, but they become clearer only after the storm has passed, when conscious seeking, persistence, and faith reveal what the hardship was shaping. Whatever the source, God, the universe, whatever, blessings usually arrive after trials.
The Japanese art of Kintsugi illustrates this beautifully. Broken ceramic pieces are restored with precious metals such as gold, silver, or platinum. The breaks are not hidden, but highlighted. The repaired vessel becomes more beautiful and more valuable than it was in its original form. What was once broken becomes stronger and uniquely treasured because of the way it was pieced back together.
I know this principle to be true from my own life. In our early years of marriage (26 years to date!), my wife and I experienced countless overwhelming challenges. We had to learn how to hold on when things were fragile, and in doing so, we grew stronger together. I have also felt the sting of failed businesses, times when hard work and hope ended in disappointment. I have mourned the death of loved ones and discovered that grief reshapes life in ways you can never anticipate. I have known the frustrations of day-to-day work when nothing seems to go right. I have also lived through parenting “fails,” those moments when the weight of responsibility seems too heavy, only to later find that children are often far more forgiving than we are with ourselves.
For others, the cracks may come in the form of relationship breakups, health challenges, financial strain, or the quiet loneliness that creeps into life when dreams feel far away. The details differ, but the principle is the same. Brokenness can lead to strength if we persist and keep putting the pieces back together.
This pattern is not unique to ordinary lives. Those who are genuinely successful often carry stories of breaking and rebuilding. Oprah Winfrey endured poverty and hardship before becoming one of the most influential voices in the world. J.K. Rowling was a struggling single mother before Harry Potter transformed her life. Nelson Mandela spent twenty-seven years in prison before leading South Africa into a new era. Steve Jobs was removed from the very company he created, only to return and build it into one of the most valuable companies in history.
In each case, there was a period of being shattered. Like Kintsugi, they pieced themselves together with resilience and persistence, and the result was stronger and far more valuable than before.
This follows the same pattern as the risk and reward principle. In life, trials and blessings are coupled in the same way. Trials carry within them the potential for greater blessing. Persistence and resilience qualify a person for the prize at the end.
Whatever you are facing right now, remember that you are not broken beyond repair. You are in the process of becoming something extraordinary. The cracks you feel will one day shine like gold, but only if you persist.
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