By Doug Lange

My family and I went through two-and-a-half years of unemployment during the Great Recession. It was incredibly hard—but strangely, it also became one of the greatest experiences of my life. I wouldn’t choose to stand in line for seconds again, but I can honestly say that season taught me more than almost anything else has. We learned to separate wants from needs. We became resourceful. We made things last. We pulled together and came out stronger as a family.

For me personally, it became one of the most revelatory times of my life. I received more inspiration and personal revelation during those years than in any other period. I gained insight into life, relationships, trials, and most of all—myself. I know without a doubt that God lives, and that His Son, Jesus Christ, was born, atoned for our sins, died on the cross, and rose again. He lives today—and I know that through lived experience.

This connects powerfully to the Law of Polarity, which teaches that everything has an opposite. We can only recognize joy because we’ve known pain. We appreciate happiness because we’ve felt sadness. Good times stand out because of the bad. According to this law, within every hard thing is something good—and not just some good, but good of equal magnitude.

In other words, mildly difficult times bring mild blessings. But the more intense the struggle, the greater the potential for growth and goodness within it.

Our two-and-a-half years of unemployment were deeply difficult—but because of how hard it was, the good that came from it was just as profound. Not in financial gain, but in wisdom, growth, and the closeness it created within our family. I honestly believe that if it had only been mildly challenging, the gifts I gained would’ve been just as mild. But because it stretched us to our limits, the insight and strength we gained were life-changing.

Opposition is built into the fabric of life. Recognizing that makes it easier to handle the hard stuff. I've found that when I consciously look for the good inside the bad, I become stronger and more capable. That shift in focus—from what’s painful to what’s purposeful—has made all the difference for me. When I dwell on the bad, it tends to multiply. But when I focus on the good, more good seems to show up. I begin to see beyond the challenge, and what once felt crushing becomes manageable—sometimes even meaningful.

That’s the gift of the Law of Polarity. It helps us reframe our struggles, keep our thoughts in the right place, and move through difficulty with greater peace and purpose. We may not know how things will work out—but when we choose to think rightly, the hard times lose some of their sting, and the good becomes easier to find.