In recent years, researchers have begun exploring what leads to human resilience. What helps someone bounce back after physical, emotional, or spiritual trauma? Psychologist Martin Seligman suggests four main factors:
Emotional fitness: having the ability to amplify positive emotions like peace, gratitude, hope, or love while managing bitterness, sadness, or anger. Family fitness: having strong relationships by building trust and extending forgiveness. Social fitness: having good friendships and work relations by developing empathy and emotional intelligence. Spiritual fitness: having a sense of purpose by serving something greater than ourselves.
In many ways this research is only catching up to what Jesus said will help us to be resilient amid the storms of life (Matthew 7:24-27). His teaching strengthens us in those four areas: We’re strengthened emotionally by being the “blessed” ones who are comforted in our mourning, cared for by the Father, and equipped to manage anger and worry (Matthew 5:3-4,23-26, 6:8,25-32). We’re strengthened relationally by living out His faithfulness, honesty, grace, and forgiveness (Matthew 5:27-48, 6:12). We’re strengthened socially by loving others as God has loved us. We’re strengthened spiritually by serving the One who gives us a mission to become salt and light to our world (Matthew 5:13-16).
The storms of life will come—loss, betrayal, illness, tragedy, assaults on our faith, or just plain difficulty. Jesus’ teaching is more than simply gaining heaven when we die; it’s about living a resilient life now by His power. His words and presence help us build a base for our lives that will withstand even the fiercest of winds.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 1 Kings 18:16-46
More:
Read James 1:22 and consider what it takes to develop a resilient faith.
Next:
How have you seen a resilient faith lived out by strong believers in Jesus? What part of Jesus’ teaching do you need to act on today?
Gary Shultz on April 19, 2016 at 6:26 am
Oh so true, and what a good word to thrust us into living life. I know for myself, I often get out of balance. Many Christians seem like they packed their bags and are just waiting for the heavens to open and take them out. God has given us a life to live with many facets. God came to talk with Adam and Eve in the evening; there had been a day of responsibility and duty to attend. Not that we can’t think of God through the day, but our major attention is to duties as assigned, in this world. In these days of responsibilities we need these things you bring to our attention, fitness in each area. Without balance to life we experience a much more depleted life. And all of those things are gifts of God’s Spirit. Thanks Sheridan
sdwise on April 19, 2016 at 9:34 am
Thank you Gary for your comments. I look forward to them to get me to think deeper on the ODJ focus for the day. Psychologist Martin gives us 4 specifics of how to bounce back from trama. Sheridan gives us 4 specifics on how to live as a Christian every day through the storms that we will inevitable experience in our walk with Jesus. He shares with us how to be proactive from scriptures in Matthew he referenced. He shows us what living as a Christian looks like! If we follow these verses he mentioned, when we are hit by fierce winds we can be assured that our support system Jesus is always there to see us through. Blessings to the forum.
sandy229 on April 19, 2016 at 10:37 am
This is so true. It does seem like a lot of Christians are just waiting around after they packed their bags for Heaven. What they are missing out on is the joy of living for Christ now and all the blessings they could be receiving now.
gagirllive on April 19, 2016 at 8:07 am
Hi, Sheridan. I wear a little anchor around my neck as a symbol of resilience, I suppose. I got it a few years ago when something happened in my life that I thought at the time had completely shipwrecked my faith. To be perfectly honest, I thought it had all been blown to smithereens. But after the dust settled, I realized that my Anchor was still securely in place, holding me steady. It didn’t feel like it at the time, but years of “listening and following” had grounded me and prepared me for the storm. I shudder to think what would have become of me if I had been only a “hearer”. Jesus is my firm foundation. I know His unfailing love and faithfulness keeps me secure through the storm. On days when I am too weak to cling to Him, I know He is still holding on to me. I have an enduring faith because I have an enduring Savoir. By His power I am living a resilient life. To God be the glory! Thanks, Sheridan, for giving me a place to share this praise today.
sdwise on April 19, 2016 at 9:40 am
Praise God! He is so faithful to reassure us that He has us. No matter what things look like, we can find a WORD to anchor us until we come through the storm!
sandy229 on April 19, 2016 at 10:41 am
Yes, to God be the glory!! I have a cross with a long leather strap with a buckle that I wrap around my wrist. It’s called “wrapped in faith”. I recently had an experience that I needed to go through to remind me that I can do nothing without Christ in my life. Thanks for sharing!!
Sheridan Voysey on April 19, 2016 at 3:32 pm
An anchor. What a lovely symbol of walking in faith. And you’re so right: the kind of resilience Jesus talks about is only found as we put what he’s said into practice and build spiritual muscle. Then we’re strong for when the trials come. Thanks for sharing.
samgaskill on April 19, 2016 at 8:58 am
Wonderful post today that reminds us we are surely held in safety by His power. Loved the visual reminder you presented here gagirl. Those years of listening and following do open the doors of Gods power and protection of the most important part of us…to Him; our hearts. I can really relate and have several reminders of Gods faithfulness even when I couldn’t seem to “feel” His presence and “felt” alone. Yet, even in the emotions of “feeling” overwhelmed I held to the truth, always “knowing” He was there. One such reminder is an angel with outstretched arms named courage that my family gave me after a difficult time. To us it represented our courage in trusting Him no matter what. He was faithful then to walk with us and that will never change, regardless of our circumstances. It is good for us to have these reminders near us lest we forget His abiding love and the power available that we can stand in the “fiercest of winds”. Have a wonderful day ODJ family.
sandy229 on April 19, 2016 at 10:47 am
We surely are held safely by His power. Thank you so much for your prayers Mary. It really meant a lot to me. I know I was able to get through this because God was holding me in His hand. Thank you for your comments today. They are so true and so rewarding in the blessings God has bestowed upon me.
sandy229 on April 19, 2016 at 10:49 am
Thank you Sheridan for your post today. I really needed these reminders today. God’s timing is always perfect!!
Sheridan Voysey on April 19, 2016 at 3:33 pm
I’m so glad! Don’t you love it when God brings along just what you need when you need it.
jim spillane on April 19, 2016 at 11:52 am
Sheridan – thankx for this devotional today. As Gary stated above, “Many Christians seem like they packed their bags and are just waiting for the heavens to open and take them out.” I’m guilty as charged. For a good portion of my walk in faith it’s as if I had pulled off at the nearest rest stop and then just got too comfortable there. It was as if I was just waiting for our Heavenly Father to come and take me home. My faith was not an active faith. I was “only a hearer” as gagirllive stated, I was not a doer, smug in my own salvation and self-righteously complacent. But a few years ago I had some major health issues which really opened my eyes (thru God’s grace and mercy) and got me off my duff and back in my walk again, and I’m very thankful to Him for that. And like gagirllive, “I shudder to think what would have become of me if I had been only a ‘hearer.'”
sandy229 on April 19, 2016 at 12:21 pm
I know how you feel Jim, when I was younger(could mean any day before today…lol) I should say until 3 years ago, I was the “eat drink and be merry”, until God revealed to me my weakness. Since then I have clung on to the hope in Christ. It was then I decided to follow Jesus in every aspect of my life. It was like I woke up big time!! I was called by God to serve, not to sit back and wait. I shudder to think what would have happened if God woke me up to take action. I thank God every day for giving me a new day because each day is a new day in Christ.
sandy229 on April 29, 2016 at 11:25 pm
I meant to say if God hadn’t woke me up to take action.
Sheridan Voysey on April 19, 2016 at 3:34 pm
Wow, thanks for your honesty, Jim. Your story gives us a check ourselves not to wait for a crisis to put our faith into action.
godlove on April 19, 2016 at 12:09 pm
Great post Sheridan, thanks very much for this powerful reminder that we have everything we need to face life with optimism when we build our lives on the solid foundation that is Christ Jesus. And He has already told us how to go about building, as reiterated by James in the “More” section: listening to His teaching AND following it. Not that life will be rosy at all times, but that when difficulties come we can rely and trust in our loving Saviour who cares for us and who will carry us through. Like He reassures us in John 16:33, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
samgaskill on April 19, 2016 at 12:17 pm
Amen dear friend! He has overcome the world! And all for us out of His great love!! Sigh of peace and gratitude.
Sheridan Voysey on April 19, 2016 at 3:40 pm
What an encouraging comment thread today! Look at you all supporting and cheering each other on. So good.
You might like to know that today’s devotional is explored more fully in a book I’ve written for ODJ’s sister ministry Discovery House, called Resilient: Your Invitation to a Jesus-Shaped Life (link: https://dhp.org/resilient.html). Eagle-eyed readers will notice that all the scripture references in today’s article come from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). It was while reading through Sermon each day for a few months that I realised how much Jesus was talking about building resilience, as discovered by psychologists like Martin Seligman. The book is a look at the whole Sermon through that lense through 90 readings.
I do love the fact that Jesus beat the psychologists to their game by two millennia!
gagirllive on April 19, 2016 at 9:56 pm
Sheridan, I just have to tell you that I watched your video on DOD, A Journey Through Brokeness. Honestly, I wasn’t going to watch it at first because I thought that the subject matter was so far removed from what I am experiencing, but I’m so glad that I did. All of the emotions that you and Merryn shared about your struggle could have come straight off the pages of my journal…the disappointment, grief, anger, isolation, shame, etc. And then those negative emotions are compounded with guilt for feeling the way I do about God on the darkest of days. I am fighting so hard everyday to keep my heart right with Him…open, trusting, submissive. Merryn really expressed my greatest challenge, and that is holding on to hope. That’s why I bought the anchor necklace–to remind me that I truly have this hope, an anchor for my soul. Thank you so much for sharing your story. I pray that God will bring a broken beauty from mine one day. I can’t imagine this pain will be wasted. God bless you and your wife, Sheridan!
Sheridan Voysey on April 20, 2016 at 3:50 am
“I can’t imagine this pain will be wasted.” That’s it, and that is hope too. Thanks gagirllive. Praying for you today.
gagirllive on April 20, 2016 at 8:15 am
Thank you, Sheridan. And I’m sorry for the mis-title I posted. For anyone searching for it on Day of Discovery, it is “A Journey Through Broken Dreams”.
sandy229 on April 20, 2016 at 10:53 am
That’s what I thought, but haven’t had the chance to see it yet. I did purchase the book though. I also have the book by Oswald Chambers on studying the Sermon on the Mount. Thank you for giving us that info!! greatly appreciated!
samgaskill on April 20, 2016 at 11:55 am
I will have to read this book too. The sermon on the mount is one of my most cherished places in Gods word. As a young believer I read Billy Graham’s “secret to happiness” and it profoundly helped me understand the message to us through Jesus’s teaching on the mount! Blessings all as we seek to know HIM!
sandy229 on April 20, 2016 at 11:19 am
This video brought tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for the updated info 🙂 …