James 1:1-3; Romans 5:3-5

Recurrent Thought

• To Succeed is not to have absence of challenges (failures, pain, difficulties) but to develop the capacity in life that is determined to win despite such.

Life is always punctuated by difficulties, challenges, failures, adversities, or misfortunes. We cannot delete challenges and adversities from human experience. These became realities of human experience since the fall of humanity (Gen. 3 & Rom. 5: 12). Yet, despite challenges, human beings expect to enjoy their experience in the earth. However, not everyone responds in ways that are positive when they face challenges:

Some of the Wrong Ways People use to face Challenges of Life

1. Shrink and Retreat
   • This is the natural normal way. Overcome by fear and you bolt
   • The disciples all ran away from where Jesus was caught
   • Peter denied Jesus and chose to be 
2. Blame others for our failures, challenges and pain. The Adam Syndrome
   • Adam failed and felt the failure in his life and in the proce
3. Manifest the hurt in many different ways
   • Some express emotions of desperation like Esau who cried but nothing happened
   • Some can overcompensate the action of goodness. I.e. a Person whose proposals I rejected can double down being niece to the person.
   • Some can overreact and do something that is even dangerous like Judas Iscariot who committed suicide.

The Bible admonishes the believers to act differently when we face Failure and challenges of all kinds

• In James 1:2 says “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,”

This admonition does not demand that you be a psycho who laughs while you are in pain or failing or losing out in life. The next scriptures reveal that the attitude of being grateful, contented, despite the challenges builds in people a character that produces a character that makes people to build steadfastness. The full text says

• Jas 1:2  Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 
• Jas 1:3  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 
• Jas 1:4  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing

Achievers in life are people who despite the challenges they face, such as failure, adversities or misfortunes find a way to rise again, face their monster and still succeed.

They have resilience.

Resilience is a combo of attitudes that equip one with ability (and capacity) to adapt and bounce back from challenges and adversity.  This set of attitudes usually include contentment, patience, endurance, hope and many others. With difficult situations, one grows more confident to bounce back with strength and they are usually stronger and better. Tested Resilience is sustained by healthy disciplines just as Romans 5:3-5 shows

We find this stated in Romans 5:3-5

• Rom 5:3  But that’s not all! Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. 
• Rom 5:4  And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. 
• Rom 5:5 And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us!

This conditioning is essential for human survival. Remember we all face challenges in life but what makes us to bounce back, to rise again and face our challenges is Resilience.

Paul and His Mission

How to Increase Resilience

1. Have a steadfast Faith in God’s Sovereignty and His Goodness
   • Be confident that God has the authority to allow anything come our way.
   • When our eyes on the Lord Jesus our Faith remains solid.
   • Job despite the loss and the pain and the confusion he experienced he had his steadfastness on God. He stated that “Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him” (Job 13:15, NIV)
   • We also have faith that God knows the best for the
2. Wait on Him for Strength
   • Facing challenges, and experiencing failure is exhausting.
   • When Peter and Disciples failed Jesus and his Mission they were drained of all strength. Emotions were dry, visions were empty. Peter said I am going fishing
   • But for them to bounce back, Jesus tenderly healed them. He prepared breakfast for them by the Lakeshore, and confronted their fears over the mission
   • When Jesus confronted Peter three times on “Feed my Sheep” he renewed his passion for the mission John 21:15-17
   • When you are hurt by broken dreams, run to his bosom for strength
   • Isaiah 40:31
     • “Isa 40:31  but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. 
   • For us Christ devoted followers we know that our resilience is more than willpower but receiving the strength of the all might.
   • Part of the waiting before the Lord is to Renew our Minds (Romans 12: 1-2)
   • Part of the Waiting before the Lord is ensure that our self-esteem is repaired and we have new positive outlook
3. Understand the Contrary Wisdom of God
   • Many times God’s Ways of leading through our challenges is by contrary wisdom, this is the wisdom that will not be as one we pursue.
   • Most times we bounce back by the wisdom of God, which is contrary to ous
   • Paul is one who faced extreme challenges as he did his mission work. He followed God’s contrary wisdom that stated that God’s strength was made perfect in his weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). This attitude allowed him to endure hardships with confidence, knowing that God was at work even in the most difficult of circumstances.
   • To the end he would write tin In 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, Paul writes,
     •  “2Co 4:8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 
     • 2Co 4:9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 
4. Rekindle Resilience by Looking at the Vision
   • When we lose the sense of mission or vision, we also lose direction of the way
   • Vision is a picture of the future that beacons you.
   • Jesus had resilience through his worst difficult mission because he the end goal in mind.
   • For the Joy set before him, he endured the Cross (Hebrews 12:2)
   • The Greater good of humanity is a catalyst for us to bounce back

Altar Time

• Prayer for discouraged souls in doing good
  • Gal 6:9  And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 
• Pray that God Heals people from the Pain of Failure