Our prompt for this month from Lisa was to think about our One Word for 2025 in relation to its synonyms and antonyms.
As you may remember, if you have followed along with me this year, my One Word for 2025 is Resilience. I'd done a listing of synonyms at the beginning of the year and thought it would be fun to just recheck both synonyms and antonyms and see if I have experienced any of the words on the lists.
I wanted to take you along with me on this journey...so let's begin.
DEFINITION OF RESILIENCE: "the ability to withstand or adjust to challenges" (according to Merriam-Webster)
SYNONYMS: strength, tenacity, power, doggedness, potency, persistence, stubbornness, grit, perseverance, fortitude.
ANTONYMS: weakness, helplessness, dependence, inadequacy.
First and foremost, I want to stress the fact that while I have gained strength these last three months, it's not been my strength, but rather God's strength. The opposite of strength is weakness, and THAT is what I lay claim to as my own, for without it, I would not know HIS strength.
Without really sharing personal experiences (for isn't that where we learn our most valuable lessons?), I've learned that in my times of helplessness, once again, the power I needed was not my own, but HIS.
I've learned that acquiring resilience definitely requires persistence and to be fair, that does require a bit of stubbornness (which I plead guilty to when it is necessary). Where do I acquire such persistence? It can only come through my dependence on HIM. It's the same with perseverance. I found that I can only persevere through dependence on HIM.
Developing resilience definitely requires fortitude, because I quickly learned that what I have to offer is inadequacy apart from HIM.
Most of what I am learning about resilience is that it is a gift from my Heavenly Father...and my growth in that area is gauged by how much I depend on HIM.
The longer we live the more we realize as believers it is all about Him and what He has done and how He has changed us and is changing us to conform to His image. God bless you with more and more resilience.
ReplyDeleteYes, Ellen, you are so right.
DeleteReally good thoughts on your word of the year. Your photo for today is perfect showing beauty in tough circumstances.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Friend. I use that photo at the bottom of each of my posts on resilience because it spoke to me of resilience.
DeleteI simple LOVE all of this....You are a huge inspiration to me. Your strength, kindness and just in the way you show such grace. I am truly grateful for the examples you set in each of your post.
ReplyDeleteMay God be praised, my dear friend, for the encouragement you receive when you visit here, for truly HE is deserving of all the glory. I'm thankful that He has allowed our paths to cross.
DeleteWhat a good exercise. And amen to the truth that faith and resilience come from Him. Our ladies' Bible study at church is in Hebrews this semester, and the reading this week is in the "faith chapter," chapter 11. You could say all these people listed there showed resilience. The author of the book we're using brought out the fact that Enoch's experience showed that his faith was a personal relationship, not just a concept. And he said Noah's experience demonstrated that faith results in obedience, even when what we're asked to do doesn't make sense to us.
ReplyDeleteI thought, too, with this chapter, that many of the people listed did not exhibit faith perfectly. Yet the general direction of their lives was toward faith in God. What a mercy that is for us when we stumble.
Barbara, thank you for sharing about the Bible study you are doing with the women from your church on Hebrews. Yes, all of those saints in chapter 11 certainly demonstrated resilience, but I especially appreciate that you shared how they didn't all do it perfectly, but that their lives general direction was toward faith in God. I fit in that category more times than I care to remember, but what a comfort it is to know that He is there to extend grace and mercy to me at those times.
DeleteYour image shows resilience and unveils its beauty.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bill.
DeleteA wonderful post!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Karen. xx
DeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts on 'resilience' and for the beautiful image.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
You are welcome, Jan.
DeleteI love this post so much 💗💗💗💗💗💗
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that you loved it. May God be glorified. 💖💖
Deletelovely! I try to be resilient but the older I get the more challenging it becomes. Thank goodness for faith.
ReplyDeleteAmen! xx
DeleteI love the resiliency that you show us, Dianna. A life well lived is the greatest example and we can see that goodness in you, even though you are very humble about it. Thank you for sharing, friend!
ReplyDeleteLisa, my friend, thank you for your very kind words. xx
DeleteI really love how you’re letting both the synonyms and antonyms speak into your word for the year — that brings so much depth. And the way you describe strength found through weakness? That hits home. It’s such a different kind of strength than the world usually talks about — quieter, but so much more real.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I had to smile at the “bit of stubbornness” — I totally get that. Thanks for sharing this — it stayed with me. 🌿
Aritha! It's so nice to be found by you! Several years ago, when I was blogging, we commented consistently on each other's blogs. I can't remember if I was still blogging under Joyful in His Presence at that time. But it's so good to see you again. I took a break from blogging for a few years as we were busy taking care of our parents. They have all gone to be with the Lord now and I started blogging consistently again about two years ago.
DeleteAnyway, thank you for your kind words regarding this post. You are so right...it's a different kind of strength than the world usually talks about...and, yes, quieter and more real.
Now, I am off to give you a visit! xx