RESILIENT PEOPLE - 2 Corinthians 4:8

Resilient people (1)

'We are hard pressed.' 2 Corinthians 4:8
When a back injury paralysed Angela Madsen from the waist down, she vowed to do whatever it took to get back up. As a result she started training to be the first woman with a disability to row across the Atlantic. Journalist Denise Foley writes: 'Madsen is what researchers call 'resilient - able to rebound from whatever life brings. She's one of those people who make us wonder how we'd fare if our mettle were tested. Would we bounce back?' Paul writes, 'We are hard pressed...but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.' Resilient people: 1) Take control of their lives: Drs. Steven & Sybil Wolin write, 'It's easy to blame others for your problems and wait till they fix them. But then you never get to rise to the occasion...When you see yourself as a problem-solver life goes very differently. Identify your strengths. Recall those moments when you triumphed over adversity. Focus on what you can influence instead of what you can't.' 2) Surround themselves with the right people: The Psalmist said, 'They...treated me badly all my life, but they have not defeated me' (Psalm 129:2 NCV). Ned Hallowell grew up with a bipolar father, an abusive stepfather, an alcoholic mother, and two learning disabilities - a history that's often a precursor to jail or a mental institution. Today he's a prominent psychiatrist, a happily-married father and a successful author. It happened largely because at boarding school he attached himself to teachers who cared about him and took him under their wing. So in tough times, lean on God, take control of your life, and surround yourself with the right people.



Resilient people (2)

'We are hard pressed.' 2 Corinthians 4:8
Two other traits resilient people share are: 1) They allow pain to spur growth: At the peak of her career when photographer Linda Joy Montgomery learned she was going blind, an inner voice said, 'This isn't the end; it's the beginning.' She began writing poetry, discovered her calling as a motivational speaker and created the True Vision Institute, teaching kids to tap into their inner resources. The Bible says: 'Though good people may be bothered by trouble...they are never defeated' (Proverbs 24:16 NCV). Finding purpose in your pain isn't a new idea. Survivours of life-threatening illnesses, natural disasters and the Holocaust, and parents of chronically ill children continually demonstrate how over-comers find the proverbial silver lining by reinventing themselves. Paul talks about being 'battered by troubles, but...not demoralised...thrown down, but [not] broken' (2 Corinthians 4:8 TM). Meeting challenges helps develop confidence and a can-do attitude that says: 'I've been there, done that, and I'll survive.' Michael Jordan once said, 'I've missed over 9,000 shots in my career...lost over 300 games...26 times I've been trusted to make the game-winning shot, and missed. I've tried and failed over and over again. That's why I succeed.' 2) They insist on changing what they can: Paul says: 'Whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord' (Ephesians 6:8 NKJV). Workers digging through the rubble to help rescue survivours of the Oklahoma City bombing, though understandably distressed, showed fewer symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder later on. In concentration camps POW's who routinely gave away their last morsel, proved that you can choose your attitude in any given set of circumstances. How? By drawing strength from God and learning to control the one thing you can control - yourself.

You'll win if you don't quit! 1 John 5:4

'This is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith.' 1 John 5:4
The Bible is a 'David and Goliath' book. It's filled with stories of ordinary people whose faith overcame great obstacles and impacted the world around them. That's why John the Apostle writes: 'Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith.' If you haven't heard of Irwin Rosenberg, here's his inspiring story. As a junior officer he was discharged from the Navy when he was diagnosed with cancer. That was the standard military procedure at the time. But he was determined to get back both his health and his job. At one point he was given only two weeks to live. But through faith and dogged determination his cancer was eventually brought under control. Irwin then focused his attention on becoming a naval officer again. But he discovered that navy regulations forbade reinstatement of a person discharged with cancer. Everyone around him said, 'Give up. It can't be done. It would take an Act of Congress to get you reinstated.' Their advice gave him an idea - he'd pursue an Act of Congress. After years of waiting, petitioning, cutting through red tape and battling bureaucracy, President Truman eventually signed into law a special bill that allowed Irwin Rosenberg to reenlist in the Navy - and go on to become a Rear Admiral in the United States Seventh Fleet! The poet writes: 'You can never tell how close you are, it may be near when it seems afar; so stick to the fight when you're hardest hit - it's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit!'

FAILING MEMORY ? Let the Bible fill your mind, rule your heart, and guide your life.

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READ: Psalm 119:33-40
Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way. —Psalm 119:37A New York Times article linked the increase of computer storage with the decrease of data in the human mind. Our electronic aids now remember phone numbers, driving directions, and other information we used to learn by repeated use. In schools, memorization and oral recitation are disappearing from the curriculum. We have become, according to the Times, “products of a culture that does not enforce the development of memory skills.”

Yet never have we as followers of Christ been in greater need of hiding God’s Word in our hearts (Ps. 119:9-11). Scripture memory is more than a helpful mental exercise. The goal is to saturate our minds with God’s truth so that our lives will conform to His ways. The psalmist wrote: “Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end. . . . Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way” (Ps. 119:33,37).

Why not begin committing Scripture to memory? Daily consistency and review are keys to success. And just like physical exercise, this spiritual discipline is enhanced when done with a small group or with a friend.

Let’s not forget to remember and follow the life-giving wisdom of God’s Word.

God’s Word will change your life
If you will do your part
To read, to study, and obey,
And hide it in your heart. —Sper

Let the Bible fill your mind, rule your heart, and guide your life.

Having a cause greater than yourself

Is there not a cause. 1 Samuel 17:29

How could David stand up to a giant everybody else was running from? Because God's people were being threatened, and everybody around him was afraid to tackle the problem. When you're confronted with a situation that needs to be changed, what is it that makes you rise up and say, 'I'm going to do something about this'? Having a cause greater than yourself! Refusing to live trapped in fear or the small dimensions of a self-centred world! A survey was conducted among people who lived to be over 100. Now you'd expect to read about health diets, miracle drugs and strenuous exercise. But the thing all these centenarians had in common was - purpose. They had a compelling reason to get out of bed in the morning. Paul writes: 'For to me to live is Christ' (Philippians 1:21). For Paul, that was it! To exalt His name and promote His kingdom. Too many of us are like the guy who said, 'No matter what I'm working on, I'd rather be doing something else.' Are you like that? Or do you have a cause great enough to focus your energies and strong enough to keep you going when the odds are stacked against you? God made you for a mission. Have you discovered it yet? At age 12 Jesus said, 'I must be about my Father's business' (Luke 2:49). Twenty-one years later, dying on the cross, He announced, 'It is finished' (John 19:30). These two statements frame a totally fulfilled, God-glorifying life. So ask God to reveal to you His purpose for your life. Until you find it you haven't lived, and until you fulfil it you're not ready to die.