Adversity is our asset?

We currently have John Wooden's "12 lessons in leadership" as the desktop screen on our computer. For those of you not so inclined towards college basketball, John Wooden was the mens basketball coach at UCLA way back when they won championship after championship. Anyways, #12, which is right on the bottom and almost always visible, is "Adversity is our Asset." We are in the middle of a time in which we feel like we need so much help working through our cross cultural relationships that we post things like leadership reminders as the desktop screen on our computer. And, as a result, we are reminded that this desperation that we feel is our asset. That feels like a hard pill to swallow. But, this is not John Woodens idea. We all know about the Refiners fire and enjoy thinking about the pure gold on the other side. It is in the midst of the flame that makes it hard to say that the heat that brings the pain is our asset. That is not to say that we are in the depths of pain or struggle, we do not want to overdramatize our situation, but I am guessing even the battle of making big decisions is our asset. Similarly, CCCD is struggling to make ends meet financially. There is nothing fun about financial struggle, but presuming that the refiners fire is truly purifying, CCCD will be able to declare this battle as an asset. So, we end up having no choice but to walk by faith and an understanding that He has shown himself faithful over and over in the past and He is unchanging. Amen and Amen!