Every cloud hath a silver lining.

The proverb encourages hope during difficulty: a situation that seems wholly bleak may also contain a benefit or an opening for change.

It does not erase the difficulty. Its point is to shift attention toward what might still be gained, learned, or made possible.

Use it to encourage someone to notice a hopeful aspect of a setback, especially when that possibility is already becoming clear. Acknowledge the hardship first; otherwise the reassurance may feel dismissive.