Resilience

<<toughness>>

Resilience is the quality of being able to adapt to stressful life changes and ‘bounce back’ from hardship. It is the ability to cope mentally or emotionally with a crisis and so return to pre-crisis status quickly. This desirable quality is a response to tragedy, calamity, or other life-altering changes that allows us to move on despite the loss. Showing resilience

Though I have fallen I will arise – Micah 7:8

does not mean that a person is unaffected or uncaring about the life change. Rather it is the ability that even although there has been intense suffering or loss this has not destroyed but in fact causes further growth of character to occur.

Job after losing everything, refused to curse the Lord or give up: “In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing” (Job 1:22, 2:9). He was convinced God was in control, and his faith with that knowledge helped him maintain resilience instead of giving in to defeat. His attitude reflects that recorded elsewhere in the Bible, “Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again…” (Prov 24:16).

Paul showed great resilience in his life of on-going persecution after his life-altering encounter with Jesus (Act 9:1-19; 2 Cor 11:24-27). A particular instance was when after being stoned, he was dragged out of town, and left for dead, but, when his enemies left, Paul simply got up and went back into the city and no doubt continued to preach (Act 14:19-23). Thus, his missionary endeavours continued unabated, in spite of what he experienced. He said, “I press on towards the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus” (Phil 3:12-14). Godly resilience enables us to be undeterred from our mission, regardless of the opposition for we are upheld by God’s power even though “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor 4:8,9). Christians keep bouncing back. “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand” (Ps 37:23,24).

Instead of in discouragement conceding defeat and giving-up or taking matters into our own hands when we think any further effort is futile we should focus our attention on the Scriptures and look to Jesus, “Trust in the

With Christ regain what the enemy has stolen

Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and He shall direct your paths” (Prov 3:5,6; Heb 12:2). Choosing to trust in the Lord rather than rely on what we understand is the best way to stay resilient.

We will all experience a multitude of failures, loses and negative experiences in life that can throw us off balance and destroy our resolve and stamina to get up and try again. Satan would like us to give-up, and turn back in defeat and self-pity as we reflect on our past rather than pushing through. Character is developed and proficiency gained by

We are not defined by our failures, but by our response to them

overcoming. Take heart, everyone has a bad day occasionally, so get back up when knocked down. Don't focus on the setbacks and obstacles but who is for you and the victory He gained for us (Heb 12:2,3; 1 Jn 3:8, 4:4). What the enemy tries to use to destroy us, God can use to make us. “All things work together for good for those who love God…In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom 8:28,37).

“Blessed is the person who perseveres under trial…when they have stood the test, they will receive…” (Jas 1:12). This speaks of determination to not surrender to the suggestions of the enemy or our own corrupt nature but rather the willpower to press through into the victory that Jesus has for us. We are not helpless victims but can choose our response to adversity.