Holy Resiliency

Last night I met a couple who had two beautiful children in tow. Oriental. The Children not the parents. They were kids who had been adopted from an orphanage or something.

That’s not the story. The story is how, not many months out of hell, these kids are bouncing back. Wounds and all, they have light in their little eyes. They are resilient. Kids are resilient. That’s why parents seem to have no trouble getting a divorce, “Kids are resilient” they tell each other and go about being selfish and bullheaded.

Yes, I am one who believes parents should stay together for the sake of the kids. Unless there is physical danger.

Those little kids will always carry some scar on their soul. Jesus can and will heal it but they will always walk with a slight limp emotionally.

The real gift God gives them is the gift of Holy Resiliency. Bouncing back from difficulty.

So, when do we lose this? When do we reach the stage where everything that happens to us is a huge disaster? I know people who will stay in bondage to events and circumstance because they love the attentions they get in travail and they reject the gift God wants to give them in Holy Resiliency. I have lots of Bible bullets I could quote. 2 Timothy 2 is a good place. But I won’t.

Sufficient to say, the whiny folks you see on the evening news after some little thing complaining about their circumstances, that somebody did em wrong, that their feelings were hurt and oh by the way where’s my attorney’s phone number.

I think the world needs a dose of Holy Resiliency. Last Sunday my Pastor and Friend Barry Kolb said something I wish weren’t true. He said, the 1950’s aren’t coming back. Making a deal over a beer and a handshake, being stoic in the face of great pain and suffering. Not good news.

How did we lose all that? I sound like an old guy. Maybe the 50’s weren’t perfect. I’ll submit they weren’t. But having this thin-skinned wounded generation who can’t take an occasional sling or arrow of outrageous fortune without being destroyed and complaining about it to everyone is out of balance. Many prayer requests I read are really a lack of Holy Resiliency.

My hope and prayer for you and yours is that you develop the gift of Holy Resiliency.

I may preach this. I’m a bit ticked off at all the whiners. I’m more ticked off that I am one sometimes.

Lord give me the Gift of Holy Resiliency.