--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can experience joy in adverse…" description: "\"We can experience joy in adverse circumstances by holding God's benefits in such esteem that the recognition of them and meditation upon them shall ove..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/john-calvin-490_adverse_we-can-experience-joy-in-adverse-circums_1295373.jpg" --- # We can experience joy in adverse circumstances by holding… ![“We can experience joy in adverse circumstances by holding God's benefits in such esteem that the recognition of them and meditation upon them shall overcome all sorrow.” quote by John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/john-calvin-490_adverse_we-can-experience-joy-in-adverse-circums_1295373.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/john-calvin-490_adverse_we-can-experience-joy-in-adverse-circums_1295373.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/john-calvin-490_adverse_we-can-experience-joy-in-adverse-circums_1295373.jpg) > “We can experience joy in adverse circumstances by holding God's benefits in such esteem that the recognition of them and meditation upon them shall overcome all sorrow.” [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Recognizing and meditating on God's blessings can transform hardship into joy, outweighing sorrow. **In simple terms:** Focus on God's gifts to find joy in hardship. Key Takeaway Meditate on blessings to counter sorrow. Themes faith gratitude resilience Mood hopeful reflective Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - illness - loss - stressful work - war zones Key Concepts theology positive psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance gratitude with addressing pain? - What blessings can you acknowledge now? A Different Perspective May overlook real problems if used to deny legitimate grievances. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteem/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Meditation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meditation/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [Recognition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognition/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) ## Related quotes > [We are surrounded by God’s benefits. The best use of these benefits is an unceasing expression of gratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/we-are-surrounded-by-god-s-benefits-the-best-use-of-these-benefits-is/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [With time, tears will dry and be overcome by a smile, joy will overcome sorrow, crowd will overcome loneliness, words will overcome silence, death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usman-ismaheel/with-time-tears-will-dry-and-be-overcome-by-a-smile-joy-will-overcome/) [Usman Ismaheel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usman-ismaheel/) > [“Without heartache, there is no understanding of the true meaning of love. Without anger, passion cannot be comprehended. Without fear, there is nothing gained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-b-simmons/without-heartache-there-is-no-understanding-of-the-true-meaning-of/) [L.B. Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-b-simmons/) > [We should spend as much time in thanking God for his benefits as we do in asking him for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/we-should-spend-as-much-time-in-thanking-god-for-his-benefits-as-we/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [Grace means the free, unmerited, unexpected love of God, and all the benefits, delights, and comforts which flow from it. It means that while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hanson/grace-means-the-free-unmerited-unexpected-love-of-god-and-all-the/) Richard Hanson > [In prosperity, give thanks to God with humility and fear lest by pride you abuse God's benefits and so offend him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ix-of-france/in-prosperity-give-thanks-to-god-with-humility-and-fear-lest-by-pride/) Louis IX of France > [The universe shudders in horror that we have this infinitely valuable, infinitely deep, infinitely rich, infinitely wise, infinitely loving God, and instead of pursuing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-chandler/the-universe-shudders-in-horror-that-we-have-this-infinitely-valuable/) [Matt Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-chandler/) > [When we smile, the world smiles with us: each experience of joy is an experience of joy for all people and a victory for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-raniere/when-we-smile-the-world-smiles-with-us-each-experience-of-joy-is-an/) Keith Raniere > [To experience more joy in your life you have to be aware of your energy levels. You should also know how to conserve and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/to-experience-more-joy-in-your-life-you-have-to-be-aware-of-your/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [“There are only two ways to experience joy and peace of mind in relationships; we either get what we want or we learn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-darn/there-are-only-two-ways-to-experience-joy-and-peace-of-mind-in/) [Kevin Darné](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-darn/) > [We enjoy warmth because we have been cold. We appreciate light because we have been in darkness. By the same token, we can experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-l-weatherford/we-enjoy-warmth-because-we-have-been-cold-we-appreciate-light-because/) David L Weatherford > [“It always amazes me when taking off from a stormy airport, how once you reach a certain altitude and get through the clouds, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-moffitt/it-always-amazes-me-when-taking-off-from-a-stormy-airport-how-once/) [Debra Moffitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-moffitt/) > [I use the term happiness to refer to the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one's life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-lyubomirsky/i-use-the-term-happiness-to-refer-to-the-experience-of-joy/) [Sonja Lyubomirsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-lyubomirsky/) > [I think we each have a personal sweet spot as well. It's the state of mind in which we experience the most joy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-spangler/i-think-we-each-have-a-personal-sweet-spot-as-well-it-s-the-state-of/) [David Spangler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-spangler/) > [Your desire is your prayer. Picture the fulfillment of your desire now and feel its reality and you will experience the joy of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/your-desire-is-your-prayer-picture-the-fulfillment-of-your-desire-now/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) ## More by John Calvin > [I have never seen either a drop of piety or a grain of truth or ingenuousness - nay, I have never found common sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/i-have-never-seen-either-a-drop-of-piety-or-a-grain-of-truth-or/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [But a most pernicious error widely prevails that Scripture has only so much weight as is conceded to it by the consent of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/but-a-most-pernicious-error-widely-prevails-that-scripture-has-only/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [For earthly princes lay aside their power when they rise up against God, and are unworthy to be reckoned among the number of mankind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-earthly-princes-lay-aside-their-power-when-they-rise-up-against/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [It is no small honour that God for our sake has so magnificently adorned the world, in order that we may not only be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/it-is-no-small-honour-that-god-for-our-sake-has-so-magnificently/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [The word "hope" I take for faith; and indeed hope is nothing else but the constancy of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-word-hope-i-take-for-faith-and-indeed-hope-is-nothing-else-but/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [No man can come to God but by an extraordinary revelation of the Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/no-man-can-come-to-god-but-by-an-extraordinary-revelation-of-the/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [There is nothing in afflictions which ought to disturb our joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/there-is-nothing-in-afflictions-which-ought-to-disturb-our-joy/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [There cannot be a surer rule, nor a stronger exhortation to the observance of it, than when we are taught that all the endowments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/there-cannot-be-a-surer-rule-nor-a-stronger-exhortation-to-the/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [The surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-surest-source-of-destruction-to-men-is-to-obey-themselves/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [The whole gospel is contained in Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-whole-gospel-is-contained-in-christ/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [For Scripture is the school of the Holy Spirit, in which, as nothing is omitted that is both necessary and useful to know, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-scripture-is-the-school-of-the-holy-spirit-in-which-as-nothing-is/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [“For earthly princes lay aside their power when they rise up against God, and are unworthy to be reckoned among the number of mankind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-earthly-princes-lay-aside-their-power-when-they-rise-up-against-2/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [If a preacher is not first preaching to himself, better that he falls on the steps of the pulpit and breaks his neck than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/if-a-preacher-is-not-first-preaching-to-himself-better-that-he-falls/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Again I ask whence it happened that the fall of Adam involved, without remedy, in eternal death so many nations, together with their infant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/again-i-ask-whence-it-happened-that-the-fall-of-adam-involved-without/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Unless God's Word illumine the way, the whole life of men is wrapped in darkness and mist, so that they cannot but miserably stray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/unless-god-s-word-illumine-the-way-the-whole-life-of-men-is-wrapped/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) [Explore all 520 John Calvin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) ## More Adverse quotes > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [Truth emerges from the clash of adverse ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/truth-emerges-from-the-clash-of-adverse-ideas/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [People frequently ask me if adverse criticism bothers me. I've had a lot of it, and I have been able to shrug most of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-giles/people-frequently-ask-me-if-adverse-criticism-bothers-me-i-ve-had-a/) [Warren Giles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-giles/) > [A society in which conjugal infidelity is tolerated must always be in the long run a society adverse to women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-society-in-which-conjugal-infidelity-is-tolerated-must-always-be-in/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Receive, dear friend, the truths I teach, So shalt thou live beyond the reach Of adverse Fortune's pow'r; Not always tempt the distant deep,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/receive-dear-friend-the-truths-i-teach-so-shalt-thou-live-beyond-the/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [I see in him (Dr. Max Gerson) one of the most eminent medical geniuses in the history of medicine...he was greatly impeded by adverse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/i-see-in-him-dr-max-gerson-one-of-the-most-eminent-medical-geniuses/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [If you will call your troubles experiences, and remember that every experience develops some latent force within you, you will grow vigorous and happy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/if-you-will-call-your-troubles-experiences-and-remember-that-every/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [“I didn’t like the play, but than I saw it under adverse conditions – the curtain was up. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-kaufman/i-didn-t-like-the-play-but-than-i-saw-it-under-adverse-conditions-the/) [George S. Kaufman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-kaufman/) > [Our actions today will protect children from the adverse effects of exposure to pesticides commonly used on foods. The agency also is on schedule…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-browner/our-actions-today-will-protect-children-from-the-adverse-effects-of/) [Carol Browner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-browner/) > [I have just been conversing with one man, to whom no weight of adverse experience will make it for a moment appear impossible that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/i-have-just-been-conversing-with-one-man-to-whom-no-weight-of-adverse/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [There are a lot of people in Milwaukee who have had adverse impacts from Scott Walker. He's managed to mess over everyone in Milwaukee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwen-moore/there-are-a-lot-of-people-in-milwaukee-who-have-had-adverse-impacts/) [Gwen Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwen-moore/) > [In the ending the king is a powerful piece for assisting his own pawns, or stopping the adverse pawns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-steinitz/in-the-ending-the-king-is-a-powerful-piece-for-assisting-his-own/) [Wilhelm Steinitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-steinitz/) > [Safe care saves lives and saves money. Adverse events like high levels of infection, blood clots or falls in hospital, emergency readmissions and pressure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lansley/safe-care-saves-lives-and-saves-money-adverse-events-like-high-levels/) [Andrew Lansley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lansley/) > [Equally inured by moderation either state to bear, prosperous or adverse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/equally-inured-by-moderation-either-state-to-bear-prosperous-or/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [In the area of trading, it is now an academically demonstrated fact that women tend to be a little bit more risk-adverse. They don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lagarde/in-the-area-of-trading-it-is-now-an-academically-demonstrated-fact/) [Christine Lagarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lagarde/) Browse all 190 Adverse quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We can experience joy in adverse circumstances by holding God's benefits in such esteem that the recognition of them and meditation upon them shall overcome all sorrow.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Calvin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/we-can-experience-joy-in-adverse-circumstances-by-holding-god-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adverse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/we-can-experience-joy-in-adverse-circumstances-by-holding-god-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/john-calvin-490_adverse_we-can-experience-joy-in-adverse-circums_1295373.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/john-calvin-490_adverse_we-can-experience-joy-in-adverse-circums_1295373.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c1b/john-calvin-490_adverse_we-can-experience-joy-in-adverse-circums_1295373.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We can experience joy in adverse circumstances by holding God's benefits in such esteem that the recognition…” — John Calvin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Calvin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We can experience joy in adverse...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/we-can-experience-joy-in-adverse-circumstances-by-holding-god-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/we-can-experience-joy-in-adverse-circumstances-by-holding-god-s/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```