Strength, Courage, and Resilience
Good Morning,
Acts 7:60 “And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Stephen was falsely accused, lied about, and slandered beyond words. His response was simple: “Forgive them.” He did not whine, and he did not plead mercy. Stephen accepted the plan of God for his suffering and death in hope that through his death, some souls might come to know Christ.
God often writes about exhibiting strength and courage (not misery and sorrow) while facing struggles.
1 Corinthians 16:13 “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”
Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”
2 Timothy 2:1 “Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
In 1982, I started knocking on doors in our little town. For six weeks, I knocked on doors and prayed for help to begin Faith Baptist Church. Only a matter of weeks passed before someone criticized my values, my beliefs, and my message. I received more criticism from other Christians than I did from unsaved people. In the days that followed, I was accused of starting the church just to get people’s money. (I was making $100 a week.) I was not treated badly, but I had to face accusations, verbal judgments, and injustice from many different places.
Many Christians in missions work across the globe face great risk of their lives or the lives of their children. One of my missionary friends in Vietnam had someone break into his home, grab his little child, and run down the street. He chased the person down, engaged in a fistfight, and returned home with his child. This is a troubled world. Until we manage to get everyone acting like Christians, we are going to face verbal and physical trouble. When natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, and disease of all kinds are added to someone’s life, strength and courage are necessary in the heart and soul to endure physical and spiritual storms.
I heard the story of a conservative speaker on Berkeley's university campus. After the conservative spoke, the college offered counseling to help those who were emotionally distressed by the conservative values perpetrated on that campus. Professional counseling was offered because someone did not believe like they did — what a weak, sick culture! If someone cannot handle the emotional strain of another believing differently from himself, he has been properly called a “snowflake” — for he will melt if any heat of battle crosses his path.
Something is terribly wrong with the generation of people who cannot handle difficulty. War or bankruptcy, childbirth or a layoff, cancer or conflict with a spouse — one thing is sure: battles will come. We are raising a generation of drug-using, counseling-addicted weaklings who are incapable of handling the most simple of problems in life.
We are surrounded by ladies who cannot clean their homes, train their children, or face the pressures of marriage. Our young men cannot control their anger or simply put up with a difficult boss without quitting or giving up. Far too many people are sure they will need to live off the government and surrender to “victimhood.”
I have no desire that my children go through life without difficulty or hardship. The last thing I want my children to have is a perfectly well-mannered soft and fuzzy life. It is unrealistic to think my children will not face battles. Just as I want to train my young people for academic and social relationships, I want to train them for battles of life they will face. I desire to train my children to be able to walk victoriously through cancer treatment, religious persecution, multiple childbirths, or decades of employment.
The disciples rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for the name of Jesus. Paul and Silas sang hymns at midnight in the jail in spite of the injustice that placed them there. In their rejoicing, they were able to see souls saved.
Strength and courage are so vital in life. Jael was a great lady — certainly not a soft, crybaby of a woman:
Judges 4:21 “Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.”
Yes, he died because she drove a tent spike through his temple and fastened his head to the ground. Tough lady! She was probably able to mentally function when someone had a different opinion from hers. May we allow our children to face hardship. May we stand aside while our children face decisions, conflict, and pressure in order that they learn to be strong.
Strength of heart and soul is a great character trait. A strong body with a weak soul is without value. Strength to do right, to face hardship, and to continue to be true is a trait of greatness.
Pastor