“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
2 Corinthians 4:7 ( NLT)
Although the word “resilience” is not mentioned in this scripture, the meaning of the words written, imply it. Webster’s dictionary defines resilience as the ability to recover, bounce back or recoil after some sort of compressive stress. This translation refers to us as fragile clay jars, that are pressed by compressive stress.
Compressive stress is feeling squeezed or pressed against. It can be brought on by some kind of loss, illness, strained relationships or any situation that we never planned for. Some problems cause us to feel stretched beyond our capabilities, yet by God’s grace, in time, we will recoil and spring back.
I believe that we are all more resilient than we admit to. We don’t always feel like we are going to recoil and spring back when we’re in the eye of the storm, but resilience has a way of emerging within us, over time.
If we stop and think about what we have overcome over the years in our lives, we will admit that a strength has somehow developed within us, and that strength comes from Jesus. Paul emphasizes the point that our great power is from God, not from ourselves, because the life of Christ is dwelling within our mortal bodies.
(2 Corinthians 4:11)
The beauty of resilience is that we have it, yet don’t always recognize it within ourselves. Like David, we will each face a Goliath of some sort, at some time in our lives. We humbly face our giant with a little faith in our heart and a simple stone in our hand, and as we put one foot in front of the other, moving forward, God does the rest. The power comes from God, not from ourselves.
Then one day, someone tells us how strong our faith must be, to handle what we are going through, but we never thought of it as strength at the time. We only know that there’s no other option than to keep moving forward, trusting God, as we go.
It’s much deeper than mind over matter or positive thinking. It’s not something emerging from deep within us, it’s someone within us-Jesus.
This resilience of Jesus is placed within all believers, whether we face a Goliath in the form of a medical diagnosis, loss of a loved one, a financial loss or going through any kind of stress or intense anxiety. We may feel like our clay jars are going to break, but Jesus is within us, building our resilience through every trial, making us over comers through Him.
The power of this scripture says it best,
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”(2 Corinthians 4:8-9)
We might be briefly knocked off our feet, but we will rise up again, because an enduring light dwells within us. It shines through our frail clay vessels, and it’s the Spirit of Jesus. He is within us, helping us to recoil, rise and endure, because God will never allow us to be tested beyond our capacity to endure.
(1 Corinthians 10:13)
Lord, we give you all the glory and gratitude for making us resilient, despite how fragile and weak we may feel at times. We carry your presence within us, and trust that we will overcome all things in the power of your name. Amen
