(By Pastor Taiwo Odukoya)
Every experience in life will lead to change, whether positive or negative. In other words, life’s experiences are not always pleasant, but every experience contributes to what you become in life. Now everyone goes through some form of experience (good or bad) at some point in life. Interestingly, some of those seemingly bad experiences are the very things that help to build good character in us.

According to Henry Ford, “life is a series of experiences, each of which makes us bigger, even though it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward.”

This explains the difference between school and life. In school, you are taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you are given a test from which you are expected to learn a lesson. These tests are your experiences while the lesson learnt shapes your character and will, invariably, determine how far you go in life.

Joseph was one man who knew the pain of bad experiences. Out of envy, his brothers sold him to slavery and, for the better part of his youth, he was either serving a prison term or serving as a palace slave, yet he did not allow himself to be bitter. [Genesis 37]

Jephthah was the son of a harlot as a result of which he was rejected by his own brethren and thrown out of his father’s house. Yet when an opportunity presented itself for revenge, he chose rather to forgive. He eventually captained his nation to war and delivered his people from the oppression of the enemy. Thus he became a judge in Israel, a position commensurate to that of a present-day president. [Judges 11 and 12] If you pull yourself away from opportunities just because of a few bad experiences, you may never come across any good ones.

How about Rehab, the prostitute who had been written off as a no-body? She did not give up on herself. She carved a niche for herself in history and today she is mentioned in the lineage of Jesus Christ. Helen Keller who was both blind and deaf from the age of two went on to become a world-famous speaker and author.

Now, your attitude becomes a key factor in the outcomes of your experiences in life. Your attitude (your mind-set and general approach to situations and circumstances) will determine whether you come out a victor or a victim in the many battles of life. No wonder William James said, “The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.”

Woman, what are your challenges? Did you make a mistake somewhere or failed at something? What is it that you are going through? Are your experiences making you better or bitter? Try again. Remember, the difference between the winner and the loser is that the former tries one more time than the other. It’s all part of life’s experiences. As Oscar Wilde would say, “Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes.”

You can make a difference!