“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.”
2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (RSV)
When I was around 13 years old, my best friend and I used to enjoy ice skating at our neighborhood indoor ice arena. As giddy, silly pre-teens, we laughed at almost everything. If we fell on the ice, we used to laugh at ourselves before getting back up.
One day I fell, and as I remained sitting on the ice giggling, a skater, who was skating backwards, ran into me. We apologized to each other and then she skated off.
I started to get up, but felt intense pain and weakness in my left leg. I managed to limp to the restroom, as my friend and I continued giggling. Neither one of us bothered to look at my leg. I just assumed I would have a large bruise from the person who ran into me, but when I looked down, I was shocked to see a deep bloody hole in my left thigh, right through my green stretch pants, about an inch and a half in diameter. I was brought to the nearest emergency room, received stitches, and survived just fine.
We often hear stories of people who’ve been injured but don’t realize the severity of it, until afterward. It is said to be attributed to a combination of adrenaline and determination to complete a task. Soldiers, firemen and paramedics make heroic rescues, sometimes unaware of their own injuries. People are capable of heroism, especially when adrenaline energizes them. In my case, heroism didn’t factor in, just silly youthful ignorance.
We face trials that test our faith and leave us feeling wounded in some way, but we manage to continue on our walk of faith. It’s as if there is a spiritual adrenaline that comes from within us. The Holy Spirit gives us the resilience to rise over and over from adversity, as we press on toward a goal.
Occasionally, we may limp or bleed, but we are never forsaken or destroyed, because the resurrection power of Jesus is always within us. Every affliction makes us more resilient, because spiritual adrenaline produces spiritual stamina.
We aren’t going to walk around giggling, like pre-teen girls, but there is a deep and lasting joy that strengthens us. Peter tells us that the God of all grace will restore us and make us strong, firm and steadfast, after we have suffered a while.
(1 Peter 5:10)
The magnitude of God’s love keeps raising us up, through a lifetime of mini resurrections.
Lord, empower us with the adrenaline of your resurrection power, and fill us with deep joy and the resilience to rise above all adversity, today and always. Amen