RESILIENCELesson 8

WHAT IS RESILIENCE?

•Resilience is the property of a material to absorb energy when it is deformed elastically and then, upon unloading to have this energy recovered.

In engineering

•Resilience is the ability of a community to bear disturbances.In ecology

•Resilience is the ability of people to overcome emotional pain to go on with his/her life.In psychology

“Despite severe trauma, even serious or most common mishaps, resilience seems like an existential confirmed by many paths and stories of successful life. In fact, for our meetings and reading professional contacts, we all know children, adolescents , families and communities that "fit" shocks, testing and breaks and beats and still unfolding and living, often at a higher level-as if the trauma and assumed had developed in them, sometimes revealed even latent resources even unsuspected". Michel Manciaux, Resilience: myth or reality?

This week we studied the story of some biblical characters that faced adversity and overcame their problems thanks to

divine help, despite having an imperfect character.

DifficultyHe lost his goods and his children in only one day. He was rejected and he contracted a serious skin illness.

ReasonHe was a victim of the cosmic conflict between Christ and Satan.

ResponseEven when he didn’t understand what was going on, he bore that trial with patience. Job knew that God is merciful and righteous, so he never lost his faith on Him (Job, 19: 25)

ResultHe overcame that trial, his faith increased, he understood God better and his last condition was better than the first one.

JOB

DifficultyHe lost his family and his freedom in next to no time. When he seemed to recover he was sent to jail being innocent.

ReasonHe was hated by his brothers and by Potiphar’s wife because of his right character.

ResponseHe completely surrender to God and took the firm decision of serving Him whatever happened. He placed God in the first place.

ResultHe overcame that trial, he learnt to forgive those who harmed him and he understood how God used him to benefit His people.

JOSEPH

DifficultyShe immigrated to a foreign country;she suffered necessity and the loss of her husband and her children.

ReasonA famine in Israel and the lack of confidence in divine protection. The death of her husband and her children increased her helplessness.

ResponseDesperation. Her daughter-in-law Ruth (whom she taught to believe in God) was an important support, helping her to stand firm in every situation.

ResultShe found happiness with her new family (Ruth, Boaz and Obed)

NAOMI

DifficultyShe was an orphan and she belonged to an ethnic minority. A decree threatened to kill her people.

ReasonShe was a victim of the xenophobic hate of Haman against the Jews because of her cousin Mordecai.

ResponseShe didn’t want to get involve at the beginning, bat then she took the firm decision of talking to the king (after some time of prayer and fasting) no matter what could happen.

ResultShe was never hesitant again and she understood the importance of committing oneself to God’s work.

ESTHER

DifficultyHe was flogged, shipwrecked in the open sea, in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from the Jews, in danger from the Gentiles, in danger from false brothers. He suffered efforts, fatigues, sleeplessness, hunger, thirst, fasting, cold and nakedness; he was worried for about all the churches... (2 Corinthians, 11: 23-28)

ReasonPreaching the Gospel.

ResponseHe was content with what he had. He suffered everything because he loved God, “so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Corinthians, 9: 22)

ResultThe Gospel was preached to the whole known world. Paul learnt to trust God in every situation. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians, 4: 13)

PAUL

Totally trusting God

Making an obedience deal with

God

Being helped

by other people

Prayer and

fasting

Being content with what we have. Loving the Gospel

and spreading it

The cosmic conflict between good and evil

A bad reaction of someone to our testimony

Our own mistakes and/or negative happenings in life that affect us

The hate of some people against Christianity

Spreading the Gospel

A be

lieve

r may

suff

er b

ecau

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e develop resilience byThrough the stories of those five characters, we learn that...

“Into the experience of all there come times of keen disappointment and utter discouragement –days when sorrow is the portion, and it is hard to believe that God is still the kind benefactor of His earth-born children; days when troubles harass the soul, till death seems preferable to life. It is then that many lose their hold on God and are brought into the slavery of doubt, the bondage of unbelief. Could we at such times discern with spiritual insight the meaning of God’s providences, we should see angels seeking to save us from ourselves, striving to plant our feet upon a foundation more firm than the everlasting hills; and new faith, new life, would spring into being.”E.G.W. (My life today, November 20)

ASSOCIATE truth – Why should I study this lesson?DISCOVER truth – What does the Bible say about this truth?APPLY truth – How can this truth affect my life today?PLAN using the truth – How can I use this truth today?TRANSFER truth to life – What changes do I need in my life?

ADAPT it! Teaching Approach

Effective for SMALL

GROUPS

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