Resilience: Strength Through Hardship

Reading: Isaiah 36; Psalm 97

Key Verse: Psalm 97:9 — “For you, LORD, are supreme over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

When we face challenging circumstances, our instinct is often to look back for something to blame: poor decisions, wrong choices, failed responses, etc. While we must learn from the past, Scripture calls us to embrace today as from the hand of God.

Miles Stanford, in None But the Hungry Heart, wrote: “What the other person said or did to you was undoubtedly wrong and cannot be justified. Nor did he do it at God’s direction; but God permitted him to do it for some wise reason which will yet prove to have been abundantly worthwhile for you. By the time that action reached you it had become the will of God for you, since to a yielded believer there are no second causes.”

What would it be like if we viewed our present circumstances through that lens?

Scripture Insight:

In Isaiah 36, King Sennacherib mocked Hezekiah’s trust in God: “Don’t let Hezekiah deceive you… No god or nation has been able to overcome me” (Isaiah 36:18-20). His words echo the lies we often tell ourselves: “This is hopeless. This isn’t fair. We’ll never be able to overcome this.”

But Psalm 97 declares the truth: “The LORD reigns! Let the earth be glad” (Psalm 97:1). “The mountains melt like wax before the LORD” (Psalm 97:5). “For you, LORD, are supreme over all the earth” (Psalm 97:9). Believing the enemy’s lies only hinders His work of building character and forging faith.

God’s purpose in hardship is strength. Just as resistance builds physical resilience, trials build spiritual resilience: muscles grow through strain, bones strengthen under pressure, immune systems adapt through stress, and the brain sharpens when challenged. Hardship is God’s training ground. Stressors and trials are blessings in disguise, shaping us into resilient people of faith.

This month I will be exploring how God uses these various trials to build strength, faith and resilience.

Application:

Miles Stanford reminds us: “No trial or affliction can reach you who are abiding in Him, without His permission” (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:13). Every circumstance is permitted by a loving Father who knows our load-limit. Trials are invitations to see Christ more clearly and to behold His glory.

Prayer:

Lord, when I am tempted to believe the lies of the enemy, remind me that You reign. Help me reframe my trials as Your blessings in disguise. Build resilience in me through hardship, and strengthen my hands and knees to trust You fully.