Watch out for the freebie in this post!
Resilience is an increasingly popular topic, especially within wellbeing and mental health conversations. Resilience is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and to keep going.
Low resilience is a key symptom of depression and anxiety. Increasing resilience can reduce downward spirals and therefore improve mental health.
Our culture has lots to say about increasing resilience, such as self-care and developing a positive mindset. As Christians, however, we have an almighty God who is unfailingly loving and endlessly generous to us. Surely He must have more advice to offer us than thinking positively (along the fake-it-til-you-make-it line) and a long soak in the bath.
Bible characters such as Joseph, King David and Paul showed tremendous resilience in the face of great adversity. Where does this resilience come from? Let’s dive in and see.
Read the Bible and Pray
You must have known this would top the list! God has given us His words through the Bible and we have a way to talk to Him (through prayer). Strengthening our relationship with the Lord focuses our minds and hearts on Him. This enables us to put the issues of the day into perspective and therefore dwell less on the minor issues of the day. This increases our resilience to cope with the smaller things, but what about bigger situations? Our relationship with our Lord is key there too:
“I [Jesus] am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5
Jesus is our strength and the source of our resilience.
Community
Jesus is our strength, but we need others to remind each other of this fact and encourage one another to keep walking closely with Christ.
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labour:
If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Although these verses are popular in wedding services, they are not specific to spouses. Instead, they describe a solid friendship. When one suffers, another can pull them back up again. In a recent depression slump, a couple of friends got me out of the house for a walk and prayer.
Rejoice
The world around us tells us to think positively. Well, we have endless reasons to rejoice!
Why, my soul, are you downcast?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Saviour and my God.
Psalm 42:5
The Bible tells us that even when life feels against us, we can still rejoice, because we have an incredible Lord and Saviour to rejoice in. Whatever our circumstances, God is the same yesterday, today and forever.
If you need some help/ inspiration to rejoice, then ask God for help, read the Bible and pray. Ask Christian friends for help. If you process by writing things down like me, print out the FREE 3-page worksheet below and allow the Holy Spirit to use that to encourage your heart and mind.
Ponder
Do you believe that Christians should be joyful?
What would it look like, if you were more joyful?
Pray
Lord God, thank you that we can be in your presence because of Jesus. Thank you that you have given us your Holy Spirit. Please help us to recognise your presence and to rejoice in You.
Amen