Why would someone use this phrase for comfort?

“Every dark cloud has a silver lining”

I had someone I knew me from high school say this to me after telling her about how a number of my family members had passed away over a period of several years. Is there a reason why people say this? How is this supposed to be comforting?

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Abstraction · 61-69, M

The phrase is only used well when you realise the person who has struggled discovers the silver lining. You are mirroring their discovery.
Otherwise it's dismissive of someone's pain - emotional intelligence zero.