Resilience isn’t a race

I get some of my best ideas to write on whilst I’m mowing my lawn.  Today, it occurred to me that resilience isn’t a race—no matter how much we want to be resilient, growth’s a slow process and recognising signs that we’ve grown can seem elusive.

Resilience can be one of the most discouraging of concepts
because we compare with standards that seem unattainable.

But there is encouragement in all this, especially when we consider resilience through a Christian lens.  The encouragement is this: 

The greatest peace and best base for resilience
is accepting WHERE we’re at right now. 

Throughout my life I’ve sensed
God continually reminding me,
“Relax, your striving for perfection is futile;
not only do I not expect perfection from you,
I’ve made it impossible to attain in this life.
So don’t stress and put undue pressure on yourself.”

As I heard many years ago, we have nothing left to prove, and nothing more to gain.  To have our salvation is all we need in the context of eternity both here and now and life ever after.

It’s wonderful to know that we can PRACTICE resilience by simply accepting our present moment, not needing to be anyone else than ourselves.  This is a gift of peace that can only be practiced.

There is wisdom in the simplicity of SITTING with ourselves, at times bereft of understanding for what we’re feeling, but in the same breath, able to smile contently, or simply shed a tear, and every emotion between or otherwise.

Faith meets resilience.  Faith, the practice of resilience.  Faith agreeing that things are not what we would have them to be, but with the strength to continue onward in hope that things might change eventually whilst contentedly accepting the situation as it is.