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Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them—a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster; they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill. Muhammed Ali One of the twelve Secrets of Success is resilience. The dictionary lists that resilience consists of being hardy, strong, and “quick to recover.” We usually describe people who are resilient as being flexible yet tough. Experts state that children, especially those who have endured difficulty and trauma, are extremely resilient. We say people who are resilient possess the ability to “bounce back.” The biblical character of Joseph is such a person. The story of Joseph unfolds in Genesis chapters 30 – 50. Even before chapter 30, we learn of the familial contention that was unfolding before Joseph’s birth. Joseph, the son of Jacob’s favored wife, was Jacob’s favorite son, although he had six older brothers. The difference made between he and his brothers (and the fact he didn’t know how to keep his mouth shut about God’s plan for his life) is obvious and eventually leads to strife. As we read more about Joseph we discover than he was hated and betrayed by his older brothers, sold and resold into slavery, lied on by Potiphar’s wife, falsely imprisoned, and forgotten on more than one occasion. Yet, throughout his hardships we learn that God was with him and made Joseph to be successful and prosperous. He was eventually promoted and regarded as “a father to Pharaoh” (Gen 45:8). We should note, the Word describes Joseph as prosperous and successful during times he was enslaved. When God is with us, we can be successful even in times of great difficulty. Resilience allows us to make sense of the “stuff” in our lives that would not make sense otherwise. It is at the end of the account of Joseph that we learn how Joseph exercised this month’s Secret of Success. Exercising resilience requires that we know: • True prosperity and success comes from God – Joseph did not allow his circumstances to define who he was. He knows his destiny is connected to him living a life of worship. • God is a deliverer and provider – Like Joseph, we are able to withstand temptation and maintain our integrity even when tempted with what is said to be a way around our difficulties. • God keeps His promises – Joseph believed that God would promote him as promised in a dream when he was only 17 years old. • There is purpose in our problems – Joseph was able to see that while it appeared that his brothers sent Him to Egypt; it was God who sent him there to rescue his family from famine. Knowing that your life is more than what you see is a key to success and enables us to endure trial and tribulation and remain resilient. For 2010 and beyond, resolve to be resilient. Keep in mind and on your lips… Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) |
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