By Michelle Taylor

In this Universe, there’s a natural balance built into everything—silence and noise, up and down, dark and light. You can probably think of several more opposites right now. It’s what we were taught back in elementary school: opposites exist to create balance.

I want to talk a little bit about one of the most important pairs—good and bad, positive and negative. In every experience we face, we have a choice: we can view it through a positive or negative lens. Sure, we can also remain neutral, but for now, let’s focus on the pull between positive and negative.

When something feels negative, it helps to remember that the opposite must also exist. That means—even in pain, there is potential for growth. Even in hardship, there is room for healing. The balance requires it.

There are people who face incredibly hard things, feel every emotion that comes with them, and then—when they’re ready—choose to search for the good in what happened. There are those who take adversity and, by focusing on the lesson instead of the loss, end up fulfilling their life’s purpose.

When we choose to grow from adversity, or look at a hardship and ask, “What is this here to teach me?” we begin to alchemize that pain into something meaningful. That process allows us to inspire, enlighten, strengthen, and help others. And in helping others, we help ourselves to grow.

Let me share an example from my own life.

Several years ago, my husband got his Class A driver’s license so he could drive big trucks. The license was one thing—but without driving experience, it was tough for him to land a job. We prayed about the possibility of him driving cross-country with a large delivery company. Normally, I struggle deeply when he’s gone—panic, sadness, depression—but this time, I felt a calm assurance that it was the right step. So I braced myself to be strong.

At the time, I was pregnant with our third child. We decided I would move closer to my mom to have some extra support. We hoped the baby would be born before he left—but that didn’t happen. I moved in with my parents because I didn’t want to be alone when I went into labor. I took him to the bus station, said goodbye, and just like that, he was gone. My heart sank. For a while, I couldn’t feel good about anything.

A few weeks later, I went into labor. He wasn’t there, but he got to hear the baby cry over the phone. After the hospital, I wasn’t getting much support at my parents’ house. So I made a decision—I returned to our apartment with the girls and the new baby to begin healing on my own and move forward.

We didn’t have much. I applied for government food assistance. Our church helped cover rent and bills. All of this made his being gone even harder. From where I stood, I couldn’t see the benefit of him doing this job at all. I was alone. He was alone. And I didn’t like any part of it.

But even in all that heaviness, I held on to the idea that something good had to come from this.

I kept searching for the good. I knew how important it was to keep my mind in a positive space—especially after giving birth and with two other little girls to care for. I made time every day to pray and read my scriptures. And slowly, I started to notice blessings around me.

The grocery store was within walking distance. The missionaries from our church lived just across the street. The church was willing to help with anything I needed. I healed quickly after delivery and had the energy I needed to care for my girls.

I kept praying that God would lead us to a better job—something that would accept the experience my husband was gaining and allow him to come back home.

About three months into his driving job, I was flipping through the classified section in the newspaper and saw something—an announcement for a job fair with our state’s Department of Transportation. The job paid well, offered room for growth, and best of all—it meant he could be home.

He just happened to be scheduled to come home right before the job fair.

He went. He got hired. The position was in a great area. Despite the housing shortage, God provided a place to live. He helped us with the move. And we were finally back together, as a family.

There is good in even the hardest experiences.

Because we trusted that something good would come, we were guided to a place where we could help others, learn more about God's love, and witness His miracles firsthand.

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