Resilience

When reflecting on resilience, we often think of times we have had to be resilient, but when I was preparing to give a devotion on this topic recently, I first thought of the times when I don’t want to be resilient! Times when I don’t want to get out of bed, times when I don’t want to put on a happy face and times I simply don’t want to show up. Actually if I’m honest there are many times when I’m over being resilient and I often hear myself crying out to God saying 'No more! Please! I’ve had enough!'

I can’t help but look at my little girl’s face when I think of resilience. Actually as I’m writing down these thoughts, instead of being in bed, she is up waiting for her blood sugar levels to rise. It breaks me, but aren’t kids resilient. We probably all can identify with the resilience of either our own kids or others that we know. Life is not always easy for them. I often think of the resilience my other 2 children have had to show through this journey. It’s been tough on them too with the many sacrifices they have had to make, the less time with us and the adjustments to a new lifestyle. There are many nights when my little girl’s sleep is limited due to her blood sugar levels, many days she cries and doesn’t want to go to school and many days that she is overwhelmed with sadness because she doesn’t want to have type one diabetes anymore, but in the last 10 months, she has only had 1 day off school. That’s resilience! It’s still a miracle to think that she was back in full time school 9 days after being first admitted to ICU when her body had almost completely shut down. She may not have a choice, as staying home is not an easy option when we both work, but she has fought so hard to live life to the fullest. She ran 2kms in a cross country and participated in 2 items in the eisteddfod 3 weeks after being diagnosed, and then 6 months after her diagnosis she came home winning all her races in the athletics carnival and placings in the field events and aced dancing ballet in a Christmas concert. My little girl could easily be defeated, but instead she constantly shows up and loves life despite her circumstances, and I know God is going to bless her for that. We already know so many times over that life is not fair and there have been many times when I have cried out to God telling Him it’s not fair and asking Him why I can’t have T1D and not her. There have been some heart wrenching times especially when my daughter says she doesn't want to have diabetes anymore and that she wants to be normal again! It is tough, but it’s how it is and we just have to journey through it as best we can. It is and will continue to be a challenge, but life is full of them and somehow we cope. We know that God is so good and we are so blessed.

🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽🔽

I often say that being a farmer’s daughter has helped me to keep pushing through and showing up, as growing up on the farm, resilience was modeled to me in many ways. No matter what, the cows still have to be milked! It has certainly taught me that when the alarm goes off, no matter how I feel I must get up!

All of us have many stories of being resilient, both big and small. Childhood trauma, huge mistakes, loneliness, shame, anxiety, depression, and judgement are a few of the big things in my life where I have had to show resilience and to get back up again. Recently the heartbreaking journey I have had with my daughter has caused me to keep digging deep and being resilient. But I don’t believe I could have survived those big things in my life if it wasn’t for Jesus Christ. Keeping my eyes on Jesus helps me to be resilient. If I looked at my mistakes, or the problems surrounding me, I would more than likely want to give up. My mum gave me a plaque a few Christmas’ ago that says “YOU ARE AN OVERCOMER - for I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength." It sits on my dresser and I read it everyday.

Resilience is when we fail miserably, but get back up again, allowing God’s grace and truth to cover us. It is God’s will for us to get back up again. We must ignore our critics. They are there, but if we listen to them we will never get back up. Walking through life knowing the battle is won and there is nothing in life that hasn’t been defeated on the cross, allows us to be resilient. We have hope through absolutely every situation knowing that joy comes in the morning.

I want to be around resilient people. Knowing they got through something gives me hope that I can too. I want to be around people who help me be resilient, not people who attack me or don’t want to see me rise. I believe that our testimonies of God’s faithfulness helps us be resilient. If we know God made a way or came through for us before, we know he will again. We need to continue to declare God’s promises as they will help us to overcome when it’s tough.

- When we feel alone, He promises to be with us wherever we go.

- When we are feeling weary and weak, we can be resilient because God promises that he gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

- When we feel like nothing is working out we can be resilient because God promises He has plans for us that will give us a hope and a future.

- When we don’t understand decisions made we know we can trust in the Lord with all our heart leaning not on our own understanding because if we acknowledge him he will make our paths straight.

There are so many of God’s promises in His word and we must let them sink into our hearts. I love the song “Do It Again” and it’s a testimony of my life for sure!

Walking around these walls, I thought by now they'd fall, But You have never failed me yet.

Waiting for change to come, Knowing the battle's won, For You have never failed me yet.

Your promise still stands, Great is Your faithfulness,

I'm still in Your hands, This is my confidence, You've never failed me yet.

I know the night won't last, Your Word will come to pass, My heart will sing Your praise again.

Jesus, You're still enough, Keep me within Your love, My heart will sing Your praise again.

I've seen You move, move the mountains, And I believe, I'll see You do it again.

You made a way, where there was no way, And I believe, I'll see You do it again.

(Steven Furtick; Matt Redman; Chris Brown; Mack Brock - Elevation worship)

Life is not always easy. But we only have a couple of choices. Give up or keep going. We really don’t have any other choice. I know that I want to keep going through every one of life’s hurdles living in God’s grace and truth. As Christians we have an amazing destination. Sometimes the path isn’t what we mapped out, but being resilient, being strong and courageous, we are promised an amazing plan. I want to encourage you that no matter what you are going through or will face ahead, to keep your eyes on Jesus, declaring His faithfulness and He WILL help you to keep standing!