Friday, June 06, 2008

resilience

Resilience is built into humanity by God's good creation of us. But this trait and characteristic, like all of God's good gifts, can be sorely misused by us, and is. We're often resilient in doing what is evil or putting ourselves first over the good of others.

In Jesus there is a resilience which comes from God's working. This salvation we receive as a gift by faith, includes the work of the Spirit in our lives, so that time and time again, we bounce back from big and little problems or troubles, which by themselves would drag us down and out. I'm amazed at the resilience I have experienced from God, so that I can look at life with all the problems I carry around as fresh and new. Having a sense of a new day or new start.

This points to the new day in Jesus already here, but someday to take over so that all the old is gone. God in Jesus will make all things right and all things new in judgment and grace. This will be the just judgment of a kind Judge. One not out to get us, but out to help us and save us in Jesus. Jesus took on himself what each one of us richly deserves, so that we can be forgiven of our wrongs and changed to be what God intended in creating us.

I love the fact that in Jesus, no matter what we face, we can be resilient. I so much appreciate Scott Steiner and his testimony. In the face of incurable cancer (and his son-in-law as well), and on top of that, an ill-timed severe leg injury which complicated everything for him physically, and medically, I saw him the other day, and I could see the joy of the Lord in his face. But plenty of issues, and plenty of pain all the way around, I'm sure. Yet God is present for him and surely for all of us. We must count on and rely in that. God is faithful for us, in Jesus. God will see us through and make his joy to be our strength, through it all.

Resilience. Here for us in Jesus during this present life in which time and time again, we'll need it.

What would you like to add to this? How has this been true in your own life?

9 comments:

Rachel Mc said...

Resilience - the ability to bounce back. I have found inner strength when I thought I could not handle one more thing...and it is usually when I am clinging to God. And, at these times I am not faithful to my bible study and my prayers aren't " great or good" sometimes down right whining and why me? But I think it is because I go to God with all emotion, good, bad and ugly if needed, that God helps me to sort it out and be resilient.
Funny thing --- I never realize this until the crisis is over, the doom and gloom gone, and I can look back and reflect and see where God did not abandon me and actually was closer than I could have ever realized.

L.L. Barkat said...

I often look at how resilience is built into the very fabric of the Creation. Little plants growing out of rocky places, trees reclaiming empty fields, stuff like that. And, yes, I would like such resilience in my spirit, but in the good way (oh, sadly, I've got the kind of bad resilience you discuss, more than I would like!).

Ted M. Gossard said...

Rachel,
Great words of God's great faithfulness in your life and for all of us in Jesus.

And shoiuld give us hope not only for ourselves, but for others, as we try to help them in their down times. That includes those we're trying to bring to Jesus.

Amen, and thanks.

Ted M. Gossard said...

L.L.,
Yes, so very true. It is amazing what we find in Creation.

And yes. I see in myself the same. Resilient in ways I wish I were not and by grace resilient, by grace, period, grace of God in Jesus, of course.

But the resilience from God's grace in Jesus is what will have the day in the end for us in Jesus, I believe. Resilience in which we're at last confirmed forever in Jesus, progressively experiencing that now. Sometimes I don't like the process, however.

Anonymous said...

Oh Ted, you were right. This post feels so near to me. Thank you for the encouragement this brings. I just prayed for your friend Scott and his family. We certainly do need to cling to the Lord in the face of so much difficulty.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Thanks, Charity.

Seems like in this fallen world we have difficulties of oh so many kinds. Keeps us looking to God and clinging to the hope and promises we have in Jesus. And I'm sure it's God who keeps us going, as well.

Ted M. Gossard said...

And I'm praying for you, Charity.

preacherman said...

Wonderful post brother. I have had resilience in my fight with GBS. In ICU I wasn't going to loose the battle. The Dr.'s thought I would and go on to God but God had other plans. Even though I still suffer from the side effects of the disease and have nerve damage and pain I still resilient in this fight.
I want to appoligize for not commenting or posting in a while. It has been extremely busy with end of school stuff and have been having migraines. I plan on posting a new post on my blog within the next few days.
God bless you Ted in ways you never have dreamed before.
Your friend and brother in Christ. :-)

Ted M. Gossard said...

Kinney,
Thanks.

Your example is a great one in being resilient in Jesus. But it doesn't really stop the pain, though at the same time, God does honor faith sometimes in mitigating or lessening the pain. But not all the time, or even at all for some of us.

God's working yet our faith is very much involved in this, as well. Some theologies seem to want to deemphasize our part, which is plainly there, in Scripture, I believe.