Building Resilience Through Faith
Here we go with our five minutes of faith, three portion of scripture, and one more tool on your toolbox. So the hot topic word that we're gonna talk about today is resilience. A person's ability to adapt to adversity. So we're always gonna have struggles, there's always going to be grief, there's always gonna be pain and suffering in which we're gonna experience personally somewhere in our lives, somewhere on the job.
Whether it's going to be directly or indirectly related to us. And how do we overcome, how do we try to adapt to that adversity? What is it that we are either emptying our minds and or filling our minds? And the preference that I'd like for us to take in this time that we have together is in what would we like to fill our minds?
Because in those times of adversity, it might seem like we're on shaky ground. It might seem like things are just outta control. And so what do we want to base our foundation? And I believe that that foundation should be something that is solid, something that is a rock, something that is a fortress, something that is a shield, a strong tell.
And I believe that in scripture we can go to that and find that individual, we can find that foundation. So we're gonna start off in Psalm 18 and just the first couple verses, it talks about this being from King David, I love you, oh Lord, my strength, the Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer. My God, my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, the heart of my salvation, and my stronghold.
So just in those two verses alone, David acknowledges the Lord in a number of different tangible ways. That is something that's solid, something that's a fortress, something that's a place of protection, and that is also going to build one up. So in thinking of something to meditate on. That rock, that foundation, that stronghold should be our focus.
And so going to the first Psalm, again, the psalmist of rites. Blessed is the man. He talks about two different men. One is blessed and one that is not. So the blessed man, skipping from the first line into the second verse is the one who delights in the instruction of the Lord. And on his instruction, he meditates day and night.
So not only is the Lord our rock fortress stronghold, but on the destruction that we'll receive from the Lord should be that in which we meditate day and night. In our last portion of scripture is still in the Old Testament in Deuteronomy chapter six, and there's a reference that's in this chapter that you're probably going to resonate with and think about a lot because it's a very important aspect in the New Testament.
So in Deuteronomy chapter six. Starting at verse four, here, O Israel, the Lord our God. The Lord is one you shall, and here it is. Love the Lord your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And on these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them, meaning His words, diligently to your children.
Talk about them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, when you rise. Jesus himself is asked by a lot of religious leaders, what are the two greatest commandments? And the first one, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
So that should be something that helps us focus upon the rock that helps us focus upon the shield, the strong t, the fortress. And once we focus on those things, we have the ability to be. Founded to be on that solid rock, to have a good foundation and not one that's on shaky sand. And in that we can develop a pattern to where we have a better ability to adapt to the adversity of which we see in our lives.
So in closing, I'd like to read from Philippians, and just to give you a little bit of encouragement, the Apostle Paul writes these letters, so if there's any encouragement in Christ, and this from Philippians chapter two verses one through four. If there's any comfort, love any participation in the spirit, any affection, sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, have the same love, and being in full accord and of one mind.
Do nothing for rivalry or conceit, but in humility, count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. And if that can be a mindset of ours and helping people through tough times. So when we're sitting on the tailboard, when we're having conversations around the table with the other guys, we're really having a really struggling day.
Maybe these words will be an encouragement to you to help you through those adverse times so that you have the ability to adapt to them and be more resilient. Thank you very much for tuning in, praying for you guys. Stay safe. God bless.
