Resilience is the ability to spring back, bounce back, recover quickly. Micah 7:8 NIV says “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light.”
How appropriate is this scripture to resilience. “Though I have fallen, I will rise”. How many times have we heard people just give up because they didn’t succeed the first time or throw in the towel saying it wasn’t meant to be. Many of us have even said that the reason why it didn’t work out is because of God. I’m not saying that God doesn’t have a hand in the workings of our lives, but many of us put it all on God as if we didn’t have a hand in the reason things didn’t work out. This scripture teaches us that failure is only temporary. By using the word “I” it draws a great sense of self ownership to failure and an even greater ownership to the responsibility of bouncing back; “I” have fallen, “I” will rise.”
The scripture further says, though “I” sit in darkness, the Lord will be “my” light. Regardless of the growth that comes with taking ownership, spiritual maturity means that when we find ourselves in a place where we have no control, we can acknowledge the one who does have control. God. And he will be everything we cannot. That’s when the word “I” becomes “my“. The word “I” is self, but the word “my” gives a belonging to or association with someone or something linking a deeper connection and relationship that enhances the qualities and value of oneself.
Micah 7:9 NIV goes on to say “Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord ’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.” Verse 9 continues the responsibility of owning our wrong doing and places we’ve fell short and accepting that there will be consequences to actions and situations that we’ve created. There are lessons we must learn, tests we must pass, dead branches we must shake off, weak areas we must nurture and strengthen and new sprouts we must grow, all while the Lord grants us Mercy and forgiveness in the journey that brings us out of darkness and into his light. The scripture tells us that “I” will bear it and the Lord will plead “my” case and uphold “my” cause. Then it drawers reference to the responsibility of God by the word “He”. “He” will bring me out. This speaks to the faithfulness of God and his promises that once we have taken responsibility and done our part, that he will do his to bring us out. It is “he” who pleads on our behalf and upholds that which is our cause, our purpose, our reason. And when he does what he does, it is we who see his righteousness. Because he has done it for us on our behalf when we couldn’t do it ourselves.
That is the kind of suspension that we are built with. The ability to bounce back even better than before, to be renewed, rebuilt, restored.
“O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;”
Psalms 107:1-2 KJV
Be blessed,
G.M.
G.M. Sunshine 