2 Examples of Believing Against the Odds

It’s hard to keep up faith when we’re snowed in again, our efforts aren’t recognized at home or work again, and we complete a given project only to be faced with a dozen new projects. We might ask ourselves “When does it end?” or “How can it possibly end?”

There is a mountain of “impossibilities” in everyone’s life. I’m here to tell you that “impossible” should be deleted from our vocabulary in the same manner as we’d delete a grossly disrespectful person from our social media circles. I could give you example upon example of how I have triumphed against the odds.

Ruth (from the Bible)

Ruth was from Moab, a country presumed to be modern-day Jordan. Yet, she married a Jewish man whose family had immigrated to her country. Ruth’s father-in-law, brother-in-law, and husband all died. Ruth’s mother-in-law, Naomi, announced her desire to return to her home country of Israel. Ruth insisted on following her.

Who could have imagined what happened next? These two underprivileged ladies moved to Bethlehem. They were so poor Ruth had to pick leftover grain off the ground following the official harvest. Ruth 2:3 states Ruth “happened upon” Boaz’s portion of a certain field. He was one of the wealthiest men in the area. To make a long story short, Ruth married Boaz and became the great grandmother of Jesus Christ. Her trials eventually led her to a victorious life. Talk about divine intervention!

Alexander Graham Bell

He was the brilliant inventor of the telephone. His interest in the science of sound waves was inspired by this fact: both his mother and wife were hearing impaired. In essence, his challenges (or the drawbacks of his family) motivated him to invent one of the most important devices of all time.

The following is a direct quote from my book: Accept No Trash Talk: Overcoming the Odds:

Alexander Graham Bell--was a groundbreaking American inventor. At first, his prototype of the telephone wasn’t popular. The public mocked the idea. Top scientists didn’t see how it was possible for the human voice to carry through wires. Bell’s invention was so marginalized it was relegated to an out-of-the-way niche at the 1876 Centennial World’s Fair in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. For weeks, thousands of people, including the fair’s judges, passed by the prototype without noticing it.

That all changed when the emperor of Brazil recognized Bell at the fair and asked to be allowed to try his invention. The emperor was suitably impressed. History records that there were numerous inventions displayed at the Centennial Fair. However, the telephone stands out as one of the most remarkable inventions to have been introduced at that time.

My Conclusion

We don’t need to live in the past. When one door closes a door to a new, improved world opens. Our greatest challenges often pave the way for our greatest opportunities.

What unexpected doors have opened for you?