Director of Equipping Vital Congregations
re·sil·ience
/rəˈzilyəns/
noun
- the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
- the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity.
What comes to mind when you think about resilience? You might think of a rubber band that stretches and stretches yet snaps back to normal when you let it go. Perhaps you picture a willow tree, bending in a strong gust of wind but not breaking.
I picture someone who gets knocked down again and again by hardships yet manages to get back up again to face yet another challenge on another day. We probably all know people like that. People who face unbelievable pain and heartache and yet show great resilience. And we wonder, “How do they snap back from that?” or “what keeps them from breaking?” and “Where do they find such resilience?”
Our current common struggle with COVID-19 gives us a window into resilience. Never before have we seen such global human suffering. Loss of jobs, quickly depleting finances, failing health, death of loved ones and friends, diminishing hopes and dreams for the future all lead to a universal experience of grief. And yet, we seem to find a way to plow through and rise above this!
I want to suggest that resilience is the human heart’s ability to struggle and suffer greatly and grow from it. I believe resilience is a gift of God inside each of us. I know, there’s evidence around us that some people have never learned how to foster or nurture this gift of resilience and so it remains dormant. But we can choose to be resilient and it has to be received and exercised daily.
What keeps us from just giving up on ourselves and the world? Resilience. What keeps us from sliding into despair? Resilience. What makes us want to reinvent ourselves and the world around us? Resilience.
The Bible is full of encouragement about resilience. To reinvigorate resilience within you, sit and soak in these words as you think about your life, loved ones, the world and your church.
“Whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.” (James 1:2-4 NLT)
“I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”(Romans 8:38-39 NLT.)
My favorite passage of scripture encourages resilience. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, don’t depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) Trust. Seek. Follow.
The time to nurture God’s gift of resilience in you and your church is NOW! Consider these three exercises:
Trust that God is still the Giver of Life and fully present with you! Name your specific concerns and even visualize yourself placing these in God’s hands. Trust that God receives these things from you and will see you through this.
Seek to see God’s presence in this time and look for the ways God is at work within and around you. Sit in a comfortable space and be attentive to your breathing. Still yourself as you remain open to God. Consider the ways and places God has been present in and around you. Keep a journal to make a record of these God-sightings. Offer gratitude. Share these experiences with others as a way to encourage their resilience!
Follow where God is leading ESPECIALLY when it is outside of your comfort zone. Be bold. Be courageous. And when God provides direction---move!
When times get tough the resilient person (and congregation) will rise to the challenge by trusting, seeking and following God. I pray this will be true for you and your community of faith.
May the burdens of this day rest lightly upon you. And may God enfold you in the mantle of His love!
