Resilience

You may remember that my One Word for 2024 was kindness. 

 It was a way that God taught me many life lessons as I memorized Romans 12 throughout the year.

Resilience is the One Word for 2025.

There are two definitions given for resilience.

1.  "the capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after 

deformation caused especially by compressive stress."

2.  "an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change."

In my case, we are going for definition number two,

which could be interesting considering the fact that I do not like change.

But then that's probably the exact reason that it's my One Word for this year.

I've been reading in Richard Sibbe's book,

The Soul's Conflict with Itself

and one thing that has stood out to me in the entire book...

when God allows circumstances in our lives that challenge us,

if we truly believe in His Sovereignty in our lives,

whatever He allows into our lives, we will accept quietly.

It isn't that we won't feel the challenge of the circumstances,

but we will go to Him and trust Him that it will be for our good.  

I think especially of how in Psalm 42:8 

David illustrates perfectly where our dependence should be.

I've just come through one set of circumstances where that verse is one that I have clung to.  And a close friend, in whom I had confided, commented to me about the resilience with which my husband and I had come through it.

That leads me to believe that God has much to teach me this year.

And I'm not going to shy away from it.

That was the word that stood out to me, and I am looking forward to learning new lessons. 

"By day, God will command His lovingkindness;

And by night, His song will be with me,

A prayer to the God of my life."

Psalm 42:8