By: Rhett Seitz
When I was younger, I noticed a framed plaque hanging in my grandfather’s room. It looked incredibly official, styled exactly like a university diploma. I leaned in to read the elegant lettering (that looked very real, by the way), which proudly proclaimed that a degree had been “Awarded to [Rhett’s grandfather] by the School of Hard Knocks.”
As a kid with a limited vocabulary, I was thoroughly confused. Was this a real university? Did they have a football team? It would not take long for me to grow up and learn exactly what type of education it described.
Even if you have never heard of the term, I can almost guarantee that you have already been enrolled as a student. The “School of Hard Knocks” is simply the practical education we receive when life gets difficult.
Every college student knows this curriculum well. It shows up in the form of a painful breakup, a surprisingly low exam score, a stern reprimand from a parent or boss or something as simple as a downpour of rain when you are trying to go to work or class. It is any situation where you are forced to navigate discomfort and disappointment. Starting to sound familiar?
I can assure you from personal experience that I have spent plenty of time as a student at this school. I have faced my fair share of setbacks. Some of them were entirely my own doing, while others were beyond my control. And for a long time, I hated being enrolled.
When difficult things happened to me, even if the situation was my fault, I used to look at my circumstances and ask, “Why did this have to happen to me?” I allowed the frustration to consume my focus, even though most of those problems were temporary and eventually faded away.
However, over time, my perspective began to shift. After taking the time to actually reflect on these experiences and perhaps watching a motivational YouTube video or two, I realized something profound. Trials are secretly blessings in disguise. When I look back at my life, I have learned infinitely more from my failures and hardships than I ever learned during the seasons when everything went perfectly.
This does not mean that going through trials is fun. Pain is still pain. But we often make the mistake of equating a pain-free life with a successful life. Just because we feel comfortable does not mean we are growing, and going through a difficult season does not diminish our self-worth.
Scripture points directly to the value of this kind of difficult education. James 1:2-4 (NIV) says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
The goal of the School of Hard Knocks is not to break us. It is to make us complete.
If you are currently sitting in the middle of a difficult semester or a challenging season of life, here are a few tips for appreciating the curriculum:
1. Change the question. When a curveball hits, our natural instinct is to ask, “Why is this happening to me?” That question keeps you stuck in a victim mindset. Instead, ask, “What is this trying to teach me? What can I learn from this?” That simple mindset shift can help you overcome any rough season.
2. Separate your worth from your circumstances. Failing a test or going through a rejection does not make you a failure. It makes you a human who is learning. Do not let a temporary setback dictate your permanent identity.
3. Embrace the discomfort. Growth happens outside of your comfort zone. If you are frustrated, stressed or feeling stretched thin, recognize that you are currently building resilience. You are building muscles you will need for the rest of your life.
None of us willingly signs up for the School of Hard Knocks. The tuition is high, and the lessons are exhausting. But if you are willing to pay attention and learn from the trials in front of you, you will walk away with a degree in resilience that no traditional classroom could ever provide.
