Resilience In Uncertain Times
“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. ”
I’m concerned we are about to live through even more painfully unstable economic and political times nationally and globally. Resilience will not simply be a handy emotional tool, but a necessary skill if one is to face the challenges that lie ahead. The ability to face adversity is something people of faith must learn, and it is also a skill we are obligated to model and teach others. To leave family, friends, and others without the proper tools to address life’s challenges is cruel. Perhaps, for people of faith, our form of evangelism is to guide others to experience the gift of resilience that only God can provide.
In his article “Most People Will Be Broken by What’s Coming. This Will Make You Unstoppably Resilient,” Thomas Oppong provides Stoicism’s wisdom to create avenues to resilience. Oppong uses Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius as an example. “Managing wars, plagues, economic collapse, political betrayal and returned to one discipline compulsively: the separation of what is up to me from what is not.” First, we must admit that life isn’t fair and we have control over very little.
Our frustration decreases when we intentionally name the areas still within our ability to influence. Doing something meaningful, no matter how insignificant, is better than doing nothing at all. Oppong again takes us back to Marcus Aurelius, who challenges us to nurture the “inner citadel.” We are to build a citadel around the areas we can control. What is required is honest, wise, and deliberate action. The action isn’t to change the external world. While we may make small inroads individually, true change and lasting resilience are found when we focus on changing our inner being.
While our inroads are small, when communities focus on their inner well-being and humbly trust God’s ongoing support, God’s world improves. As people of faith, we trust God to be the primary and ultimate source of hope, justice, and renewal. Our resilience comes from recognizing what we can address and what is beyond our purview. Our resilience also increases when we know and affirm that there is a divine, Almighty Being with the power to bring about meaningful and lasting change. Our job is to stay in our lane, knowing when we are capable, and to invite God into the painful and even frightening places beyond our control. Nurture your resilience by recognizing your ability and your limits, and invite God into your life by trusting in God’s power to recreate God’s world.
