Resilient In All Seasons
June 12, 2022
Our focus in the last weeks in kid’s church where I am a small group leader has been resilience. We define resilience as the ability to bounce back, to get up when it appears impossible, because with Jesus in us, there is nothing that is impossible. We have been highlighting Bible stories about resilient heroes. We learn they were just like us. Sometimes scared, sometimes old, sometimes young, sometimes underappreciated, sometimes unjustly accused, sometimes hurt yet did nothing wrong… the list goes on and on. We’ve been learning that in this world, we will have trouble but through Jesus, we have overcome the world.
Read that again.
In this world, we will have trouble but through Jesus, we have overcome the world.
Resilience means standing back up when the world knocks you down.
Resilience is showing the truth even when you know it is unpopular or unsafe. A resilient disciple is one who understands they will trip and fall sometimes, make ungodly decisions, and speak unkind words, but they will also confess, ask for forgiveness, help to shine for Jesus better, and bounce back from their fall. It also means we can bounce back from difficult times.
On Saturday, our WGV Gymnastics competitive team had their banquet. The Bronze team’s coach spoke about the resilience of the Bronze girls because they had several coaches over their competition season (she was out with an injury for a while). I couldn’t help but smile because Jillian has been hearing that word in kid’s church for weeks and now from her coach whom she loves.
Resilience is something that I’m having to purposefully remind myself that I have. I continually remind myself this financial challenging time my family is in is stretching our resilience muscles. God always helps us bounce back. He always helps us keep going in the direction he wants for us.
For me, it’s easier to leave the big things like my salvation, seeing my loved ones in heaven, and health to God. It’s far harder to leave what my brain argues are “small” or “non spiritual” things like finances 100% to God; I figure He’s given us brains and opportunities to make our own way. But my actual experience with life from my first “jobs” babysitting and such, has taught me that God is always in control of everything and has a planned path He knows is best for us. He shapes and directs our path in everything if we allow it; He gives us gifts and areas of interest to shape our studying and careers resulting in our enjoyment of learning and work. He whispers to take the back roads, or to make one last move, or to look up in the rear-view mirror, or some other something that seems so trite, but when we listen, our path is shaped in a significant way.
When I think about my life, the power of how Jesus has helped me bounce back from all kinds of challenges shows up loudly.
One of my favorite keys to refocusing on Jesus is joy. Better said: Gratitude.
When I find my brain trying to focus on what is negative, what “trouble” messes with my family’s happiness, I turn my thoughts to the many blessings God has given us.
Gratitude is choosing to be thankful. From focusing on things to be grateful for, I find my joy returning.
Today, I was super excited to get a t-shirt with one of my favorite verses on it!
It reads “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on winds like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31” The front reads, “Make Resilient Disciples” and that is just what (only with Jesus’ help, thank you!) I’m doing!
Thank you for reading,
Type at you later!
~Nancy Tart