--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: During the worst of it, onlookers who…" description: "\"“During the worst of it, onlookers who have learned my story often comment to me that, “All the hardships you suffered were part of a divine plan for y..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/l-m-browning-18708_bad-thing_during-the-worst-of-it-onlookers-who-hav_3060710.jpg" --- # During the worst of it, onlookers who have learned my… ![“During the worst of it, onlookers who have learned my story often comment to me that, “All the hardships you suffered were part of a divine plan for your life because something good came from each bad thing.” As though a divine presence decided to teach me these great lessons through pain. I am…” quote by L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/l-m-browning-18708_bad-thing_during-the-worst-of-it-onlookers-who-hav_3060710.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/l-m-browning-18708_bad-thing_during-the-worst-of-it-onlookers-who-hav_3060710.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53e/l-m-browning-18708_bad-thing_during-the-worst-of-it-onlookers-who-hav_3060710.jpg) > ““During the worst of it, onlookers who have learned my story often comment to me that, “All the hardships you suffered were part of a divine plan for your life because something good came from each bad thing.” As though a divine presence decided to teach me these great lessons through pain. I am affronted by such a suggestion because it robs me of my accomplishment by removing the element of transcendence. I don’t believe we learn anything from suffering. If human beings inherently learned through suffering, we would be a population of enlightened beings and we’re not. We learn from suffering if and only if we manage to transcend our suffering to find meaning in what is otherwise senseless. This process of transcendence is a profoundly human one that imparts the deepest—most lasting—sense of achievement.”” [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker rejects the idea that suffering automatically yields divine purpose, arguing that meaning arises only when we consciously transcend pain. **In simple terms:** Suffering isn’t inherently meaningful; we must rise above it. Key Takeaway Seek purpose through personal growth, not assumed destiny. Themes meaning transcendence human experience achievementicism Mood reflective thoughtful serious Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - Therapy sessions - grief counseling - career setbacks - health crises - personal loss Key Concepts Existentialism psychology resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can you transform pain into purpose? - What does transcendence mean to you? A Different Perspective Assuming all suffering has a higher purpose can diminish personal agency. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depression/) [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [Miscarriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miscarriage/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Ptsd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ptsd/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Suicide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suicide/) [Transcendence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendence/) [Transcendent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendent/) [Trauma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trauma/) ## Related quotes > [“In lieu of letting go of our trauma and rather than healing completely, in my experience, we learn how to carry it and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/in-lieu-of-letting-go-of-our-trauma-and-rather-than-healing/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Now I know, you can’t change what’s happened to you or hide it, or spin it, or get over it. All you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/now-i-know-you-can-t-change-what-s-happened-to-you-or-hide-it-or-spin/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Throughout the journey West, I had a raging fever. In a mere two days, we drove 1,925 miles from Connecticut to Colorado Springs, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/throughout-the-journey-west-i-had-a-raging-fever-in-a-mere-two-days/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“There is no “letting go.” I would dare to take it further and say there is no healing from trauma. For nearly 25 years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/there-is-no-letting-go-i-would-dare-to-take-it-further-and-say-there/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“I’m broken. We’re all broken and right now we’re all isolated within that brokenness. The cure for the loneliness is connection—connection with that broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/i-m-broken-we-re-all-broken-and-right-now-we-re-all-isolated-within/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“I no longer seek those things that help me to heal but for those things that fortify me with the strength required to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/i-no-longer-seek-those-things-that-help-me-to-heal-but-for-those/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“We can’t deny our journey. We can’t pretend we’re fine when we’re not. All we can do is own it—own our suffering.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/we-can-t-deny-our-journey-we-can-t-pretend-we-re-fine-when-we-re-not/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“To say I woke up one day and reached a point where I no longer cared about the pains to befall me would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/to-say-i-woke-up-one-day-and-reached-a-point-where-i-no-longer-cared/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“tragedy is suffering elevated into art, it’s art that helps humans endure—and sometimes even transcend—their suffering. It’s”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-hegland/tragedy-is-suffering-elevated-into-art-it-s-art-that-helps-humans/) [Jean Hegland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-hegland/) > [“Adversity, illness, and death are real and inevitable. We chose whether to add to these unavoidable facts of life with the suffering that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama-xiv/adversity-illness-and-death-are-real-and-inevitable-we-chose-whether/) [Dalai Lama XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama-xiv/) > [“How did I learn empathy? I learned it while suffering. How did I learn about karma? Because it came back to me and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/how-did-i-learn-empathy-i-learned-it-while-suffering-how-did-i-learn/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [human beings seem to hold on more tenaciously to a cultural identity that is learned through suffering than to one that has been acquired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/human-beings-seem-to-hold-on-more-tenaciously-to-a-cultural-identity/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [No words can express how much the world owes to sorrow. Most of the Psalms were born in the wilderness. Most of the Epistles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/no-words-can-express-how-much-the-world-owes-to-sorrow-most-of-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [For whatever reason, I don't know why, but Cambodians learned something in their suffering and their struggle that we have lost touch with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/for-whatever-reason-i-don-t-know-why-but-cambodians-learned-something/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [So long as one is able to pose one has still much to learn about suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/so-long-as-one-is-able-to-pose-one-has-still-much-to-learn-about/) [Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/) ## More by L.M. Browning > [“Now I know, you can’t change what’s happened to you or hide it, or spin it, or get over it. All you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/now-i-know-you-can-t-change-what-s-happened-to-you-or-hide-it-or-spin/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Belief acts as a temporary bridge when we are trying to accept something that seems incomprehensible. We use belief and simply accept the workings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/belief-acts-as-a-temporary-bridge-when-we-are-trying-to-accept/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“The pace of this modern age is not conducive to maintaining one’s consciousness. Glued to our electronics, we are blind and deaf to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/the-pace-of-this-modern-age-is-not-conducive-to-maintaining-one-s/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“The divine is in the present and you must be present to experience it. When you vacate the present and recede into your mind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/the-divine-is-in-the-present-and-you-must-be-present-to-experience-it/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Throughout the journey West, I had a raging fever. In a mere two days, we drove 1,925 miles from Connecticut to Colorado Springs, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/throughout-the-journey-west-i-had-a-raging-fever-in-a-mere-two-days/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Evil demons dwelling in underworlds, Gods sitting on-high, angels battling and protecting. We have become so wrapped up in these stories, and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/evil-demons-dwelling-in-underworlds-gods-sitting-on-high-angels/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Take all those things that would propose to be important, and weigh them upon the scale of your soul. Asking how much each thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/take-all-those-things-that-would-propose-to-be-important-and-weigh/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“We all have those things that help us carry on through life. It is important that these things upon which we depend for daily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/we-all-have-those-things-that-help-us-carry-on-through-life-it-is/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“There is no “letting go.” I would dare to take it further and say there is no healing from trauma. For nearly 25 years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/there-is-no-letting-go-i-would-dare-to-take-it-further-and-say-there/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“I’m broken. We’re all broken and right now we’re all isolated within that brokenness. The cure for the loneliness is connection—connection with that broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/i-m-broken-we-re-all-broken-and-right-now-we-re-all-isolated-within/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Question everything—no matter how beloved, or how long-held, or how exalted—without apology. Only those who build their world upon lies need fear an inquisitive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/question-everything-no-matter-how-beloved-or-how-long-held-or-how/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“Survival is balance. Life’s ugliness is balanced by beauty. Trauma is balanced by awe. For me, being on the road has come to represent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/survival-is-balance-life-s-ugliness-is-balanced-by-beauty-trauma-is/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“I no longer seek those things that help me to heal but for those things that fortify me with the strength required to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/i-no-longer-seek-those-things-that-help-me-to-heal-but-for-those/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“The purpose of a pilgrimage is about setting aside a long period of time in which the only focus is to be the matters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/the-purpose-of-a-pilgrimage-is-about-setting-aside-a-long-period-of/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) > [“We pass hatred and prejudice on to our children, as though they were heirlooms of humanity. We cling to traditions that keep us bound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-browning/we-pass-hatred-and-prejudice-on-to-our-children-as-though-they-were/) [L.M. Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) [Explore all 34 L.M. Browning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-browning/) ## More Bad thing quotes > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [I've said it before, good people are forced to do bad things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-cloud/i-ve-said-it-before-good-people-are-forced-to-do-bad-things/) [Angus Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-cloud/) > [I think the people I talk about are generally so stupid that they don't even know I'm saying bad things about them. I've run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/i-think-the-people-i-talk-about-are-generally-so-stupid-that-they-don/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [One thing I always tell players is that there are three bad things: Nothing good happens after midnight, nothing good happens when you're around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/one-thing-i-always-tell-players-is-that-there-are-three-bad-things/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I'm not going to pretend that bad things don't happen. I just hope my daughter has enough understanding that when they do, just give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-krasinski/i-m-not-going-to-pretend-that-bad-things-don-t-happen-i-just-hope-my/) [John Krasinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-krasinski/) > [I've heard some pretty bad things in my life. I'm just one of those people I've gotten to a point where I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-bush/i-ve-heard-some-pretty-bad-things-in-my-life-i-m-just-one-of-those/) [Sophia Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-bush/) > [Like everybody, you get nights where you feel completely depressed. You start thinking about all the bad things and think about the glass half…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/like-everybody-you-get-nights-where-you-feel-completely-depressed-you/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [Be Thankful for all things in life. Even for the bad things. SOMETIMES the worst situations in life turn out to be the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-thankful-for-all-things-in-life-even-for-the-bad-things-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In my business, you should be very strong in mind. You have to be sure about yourself and about your work and your career,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irina-shayk/in-my-business-you-should-be-very-strong-in-mind-you-have-to-be-sure/) [Irina Shayk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irina-shayk/) > [“I don’t know why I latched onto the idea of being friends, but it sits right with my gut. I want Hartley in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-watt/i-don-t-know-why-i-latched-onto-the-idea-of-being-friends-but-it-sits/) [Erin Watt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-watt/) > [I'm just grateful to people who are willing to admit how bad things feel for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-furman/i-m-just-grateful-to-people-who-are-willing-to-admit-how-bad-things/) [Ezra Furman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-furman/) > [I love it when television is shot in a cinematic way and I think to aspire to that is no bad thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-rhys/i-love-it-when-television-is-shot-in-a-cinematic-way-and-i-think-to/) [Matthew Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-rhys/) > [“Dear Delphine, When you are older I want you to find Chinua Achebe. I want you to read Things Fall Apart. Don't be hardheaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-williams-garcia/dear-delphine-when-you-are-older-i-want-you-to-find-chinua-achebe-i/) [Rita Williams-Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-williams-garcia/) > [Lobbying is not a bad thing. I'm not trying to say that we shouldn't have lobbyists or we shouldn't have lobbying to petition our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-abramoff/lobbying-is-not-a-bad-thing-i-m-not-trying-to-say-that-we-shouldn-t/) [Jack Abramoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-abramoff/) > [In life, we don't know why things happen. I believe God is not responsible for the bad things that happen to you. Sometimes I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buck-brannaman/in-life-we-don-t-know-why-things-happen-i-believe-god-is-not/) [Buck Brannaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buck-brannaman/) Browse all 2,889 Bad thing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“During the worst of it, onlookers who have learned my story often comment to me that, “All the hardships you suffered were part of a divine plan for your life because something good came from each bad thing.” As though a divine presence decided to teach me these great lessons through pain. I am affronted by such a suggestion because it robs me of my accomplishment by removing the element of transcendence. I don’t believe we learn anything from suffering. If human beings inherently learned through suffering, we would be a population of enlightened beings and we’re not. 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