Joshua 1: 9
« Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not
afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee
whithersoever thou goest. »
Proverbs 24: 10
« If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small. »
It's important to be resilient in the face of adversity, not
just for Christians, but for all of us. As long as this world exists, there
will always be evil, and we'll all have to face it. What makes the difference
is how we approach difficult times and the source of our strength.
Why be resilient in adversity ?
If you don't
have resilience in this life, you're basically signing your own death warrant.
As we said before, evil is part of this world, and as long as we live in it,
we'll face difficult situations. We all have to face
challenges in life.
Romans 8: 22-23
« For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first
fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the
adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. »
However, no matter how challenging they may be,
these experiences are all part of our journey on this earth. They help us to
identify our strengths and weaknesses, to get to know ourselves better, and to
mature (grow). I'm not saying that trials are good and that we should seek them
out. I just want to say that they’re just as important as moments of joy. If I've experienced both good times and bad, I'll have a better
understanding of what's truly valuable. Once I've overcome my financial
difficulties, for example, I'll probably be more financially disciplined, creative, and
productive. I'll understand the need to do all I can to avoid getting into
financial trouble again. I'll identify the mistakes/weaknesses or other things
that got me there in the first place and work on myself. These experiences will
also help me be more empathetic towards those in need and better help them.
Therefore, to learn from the challenges we face in
life, we need to be resilient. That means not being afraid to face them and
find solutions to overcome them. To learn from a situation, you have to be
exposed to it and seek to understand it. This can only be done if you are
willing to face it, not run away from it. So, how can we develop resilience? The answer
to this question lies in our source of strength. So, where do Christians get
their strength from? We get our strength
from the Word of God.
How can Christians stay strong and positive in challenging times?
We achieve this by trusting in God and having
complete faith in His word. Indeed, this blind faith in God is what helps us
stay strong in the face of challenges. We believe in His faithfulness and know
that no matter how rough the waters get, our God can and will calm them.
Romans 8: 37-39
« Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that
loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love
of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. »
But resilience in our lives isn't just about
unshakeable/solid faith. There are a whole host of other equally important
points that characterize it. In this sense, we must combine our faith with
obedience to God's principles. To fully experience God's faithfulness,
goodness, and mercy during our trials, we must:
ü
Walk in integrity, clinging to righteousness and
all that is honorable in God's sight.
Psalm 84 : 11 « For the Lord God
is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory: no good thing will He
withhold from them that walk uprightly» (KJV)
ü
Keep our hearts pure and continue to show love.
Hebrews 10: 22-23 « Let us draw near with a true
heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil
conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the
profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;) »
Job 42 : 10 « So the Lord blessed
the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand
sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she
asses. »
ü Stay connected
to the truth in God's Word so you don't get confused by the devil. God’s word
is the foundation of our faith. Once confusion or doubt enters the mind, it's
only a matter of time before faith is shaken. Eve made the mistake of not
having a clear understanding of the truth and the One who gave it to us. It was
just one question that caused all the confusion: “Did God really say…?”
John 14 : 23 « Jesus answered and said unto him, If a
man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and We will
come unto him, and make our abode with him. »
2 Timothy 3 : 13-17 “ But evil men and
seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue
thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of
Whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy
scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which
is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto
all good works.”
ü
Stay connected to the Holy Spirit so that we can
navigate the world with clarity, keep our eyes on Jesus, and our hearts at ease
so that fear doesn't cloud our judgment.
John 14 : 26 « But the Comforter,
which is the Holy Ghost, Whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach
you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have
said unto you. »
John 16 : 13-14 « Howbeit when He, the Spirit
of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself;
but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things
to come. He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of mine, and
shall shew it unto you. »
All the men of
faith mentioned in the Bible as role models, and those of our time who have led
exemplary lives that today are true testimonies that transform hearts and
strengthen faith, all have something in common: resilience. They manifested this
resilience through their faith in God, integrity, knowledge of the Word, and
love. So, to you reading this who are going through a rough patch, keep your
eyes fixed on Jesus, stay strong; He'll be there for you.
John 16 :
33 « These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have
overcome the world. »
