Through the Lens of Confidence: Transformation - Part 1

We've all observed men and women who could roll with the flow of life, who refused to be distracted from their objectives. The ability to roll with the flow doesn't imply giving in to temptation or "doing as the Romans do while in Rome." It takes character strength to sidestep entrapments designed to divert you from God's intended purpose.

A mother referred to her son as intrepid, gutsy, and determined to achieve, despite having a tough learning disability. Resilience enabled him to make friends, do his work with integrity, and deflect self-doubt that was always present. What helped him stay focused was confidence in his parents to be an encouragement regardless of what he would have to face.

The Apostle Paul had unshakable confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Jesus transformed him into a person with direction and purpose for his life. God gave him the wisdom and maturity to change along with a vision that affected the world in a way he had previously believed to be impossible. With Christ in you, all things are possible.  

Positive Change: Resist It or Embrace It? - Part 3

The word apprehend brings up images of police officers' taking into custody those who deliberately violate the laws of our country. My childhood years were spent in a small Texas farming community that employed one deputy sheriff, who in all those years took into custody only two teen-aged boys for violations of the law.

The Apostle Paul used the word apprehend to express a spiritual desire. His goal was to be apprehended by Christ Jesus; to be filled with his power so he could complete the mission for which Jesus had called him. He asked God for strength, endurance, resilience, and maturity to spread the word that God sent Jesus to save all humanity.

Paul's encounter with Jesus changed how he perceived himself and how he would serve God for the rest of his life. As God created in Paul maturity which enabled him to do his work, He also established in him resilience to stand up and fight every attempt to distract him from his calling. The Lord Jesus Christ will do this for you. 

Positive Change: Resist It or Embrace It? - Part 2

The whole world seems to be in a state of flux or change. When it seems too much to take in, we tend to chose our eyes and pretend everything remains the same. The most difficult change to accept is what has changed within ourselves. A significant developmental task is understanding what God is creating in you at every stage of your life.

If you think too little of yourself, you may never live up to what God called  you to be and do. If you think too highly of yourself, that perception may prevent you from carrying out God's purpose for you. The capacity to change and make mature judgments comes from the willingness to overcome invalid perceptions and boundaries.

The good news is, God doesn't require perfection, but a commitment to set true boundaries on anything that would weaken your walk with Christ Jesus. He implores you to "ask and it shall be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door shall be opened for you." Try to imagine how your life will be changed as you lay claim to this promise.  

Positive Change: Resist It or Embrace It? - Part 1

It seems logical that wholesome, healthy change should come easy.  However resistance to change can be problematic, even when it would be in everyone's best interest. Resistance to change can be related to fear, but the culprit can be anxiety because the future is always a bit uncertain.

Correct perception of what is needed and safe is related to our ability to comprehended and understand, or what is known as instinct or intuition. The tenacity to hold fast to beliefs, even false beliefs, can be a barrier to needed change. This is especially true when change threatens our sense of security. Listen to the Apostle Paul's warning from Romans 12:2.

"Do not become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without thinking.  Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what God wants from you and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you always dragging you down, God brings the best out of you." God be with you and bless you.  

Repentance: Letting Go of Sin - Part 3

A magazine headline caught my attention with these words, "When Perception Meets Reality." Perception means to understand in a way that makes sense and is instrumental in developing our belief system. Twentieth century pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock taught parents to let children make up their own minds about important issues like religion and social attitudes.

He perceived children as not needing specific boundaries or consistent guidance. However Dr. Spock possessed the capacity to adapt and change. Observing the social upheaval in the 1960's and 1970's forced him to change his philosophy. He could see that children needed training in religious faith and social skills.

It takes courage and maturity to change one's philosophy and beliefs. More importantly, permanent change can occur when Christ Jesus opens our eyes so we can see and our ears so we can hear from his perspective. He also touches our heart to give us faith and understanding. Then we can respond with determination to follow his leading.  

Repentance: Letting Go of Sin - Part 2

Tragedy forms troubling images in our minds because it can be so painful. Most people tolerate tragedy and eventually heal from its wounds, but consider  those who invite tragedy by refusing to change certain attitudes and behaviors. They have an inner tenacity to hold on to a way of life, regardless of the destruction it produces.

Repentance is sincere remorse for sin and is accompanied by a  desire to forever change old behavior patterns. God creates in those who truly repent an unrelenting desire to avoid the sin that's so easily besetting. God constructs in each of us a resilience to fight off sin and its consequence.

God, through Christ Jesus, creates in us a new person equipped with His armor to manage tragedies we will face. Repentance is a deep-seated regret for sin and opens the way for God to renew a right spirit within us. God is constantly giving you strength to survive and the capacity to change, so give thanks and praise to him.  

Repentance: Letting Go of Sin - Part 1

I once heard a friend describe an acquaintance as an "accident waiting to happen." My friend was speaking humorously, but some behaviors suggest a recklessness that gives birth to heartbreak and sorrow. Interestingly, some people often gain notoriety because of their resilience to recover from the suffering of terrible tragedies.

Resilience can be a means for continuing immoral behavior. Turning from evil behaviors can be rejected even when the necessity to change cannot be denied. Godly repentance indicates the Holy Spirit is nudging you to face the truth and realize the certainty that Christ Jesus lives in you.

God's mercy and forgiveness sets in motion a process of transforming an arrogant, unrepentant person into a new, Christ-centered person. Ephesians 4:1 explains that you are being made new in your attitude and will experience a new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Won't you give God permission to make this transformation of love within you? 

Bouncing Back and Pressing On - Part 3

Society has always needed heroes, both real and imagined. These heroes, whether men, women, or children, demonstrate unusual courage in times of crisis or great need. Ordinary people are saddened or angered when their heroes fall short of expectations. We express admiration, however, for those who display resilience and recover with dignity.

Resilience enables a person to bounce back from failures to face their shortcomings. The alternative is to continue holding on to anger and remaining reluctant to admit wrongs, such as acting in ways that hurt others and damage their relationships. Even when threatened by great loss, any semblance of repentance is strangely absent.

When repentance is rejected, the heart is hardened and sin gains a foothold. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life." Jesus is more than a hero. He is Lord and Savior and able to melt a heart of stone by forgiving the worst sin imaginable. God's grace will sustain you through any hardship following your choice to change.

Bouncing Back and Pressing On - Part 2

There were thousands of people who came to our city of Houston from Vietnam and other Asian countries to escape the ravages of war. What has amazed me is the resilience of these people to overcome numerous hardships and become responsible citizens making significant contributions to our society.

Resilience is an inner strength that makes it possible to keep an objective identified clearly and in sharp focus. Albert Einstein, the German-born physicist, developed the theories of special and general relativity. He acknowledged that God gave him the insight to develop these formulas and prove they worked.

The Apostle Paul suffered numerous hardships but said his faith was strengthened by adversity. His attitude is an antidote for discouragement because it testifies of humility and resilience rather than conceit and failure. Listen to Paul's declaration from Philippians 3:8. "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus." This affirmation can be your source for resilience.  

Bouncing Back and Pressing On - Part 1

Resilience and determination go together. Surviving temptation depends on these two God-given character strengths. Each person, however, can be unwilling or unable to claim these gifts from God. Victimology is the study of people who consider themselves victims of circumstances that have resulted in personal suffering and pain.

A young adult characterized the victim syndrome. "Why doesn't God cut me some slack? Why is life always a struggle? When will I get out of this murky pit?" Most of us have been there at some level in life's journey. Resilience derives from an inner maturity that enables a person to recover from unpredictable, unexpected change.

Resilience helps you keep a clear focus on God's purpose for your life. Peter, one of the twelve Apostles, demonstrated resilience after denying that he knew Jesus. He got up from the pit of shame and guilt to press onward, becoming the rock on which Jesus would build His church. You can rise up from failure and return to fellowship with Christ Jesus.  

Resilience: Character Strength for Survival - Part 3

Freudian psychology promotes the pain and pleasure principle. Freud developed this theory from his observation of people who tend to avoid suffering and pain by seeking pleasure and comfort. The world's economy is geared toward promising happiness and pleasure rather than pain and sorrow.

Pleasure is irresistible when it fits within acceptable boundaries. Within this context the challenge for acquiring pleasure is invigorating. The desire for pleasure kindles a fire that challenges us to take hold of a promising dream by activating our best mental and physical assets. The desire for pleasure drives us to conquer suffering and pain by using every source available.

It takes resilience to conquer all obstructions that prevent us from securing  peace and joy. Resilience, that inner, God-given strength, resists defeat and any pain associated with it. Like Jesus, the Apostle Paul, and countless others, each of us is commissioned to press on toward the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. This alone brings peace and internal satisfaction.  

Resilience: Character Strength for Survival - Part 2

Suffering is inescapable. Most people experience a balance between suffering and pleasure which life generates for each of us. Very few people enjoy suffering or deliberately seek it out, yet there are those who seem to be stuck in its embrace. Resilience is a character attribute that makes it possible to manage suffering.

Listen to Saint Paul from Philippians 3. "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his suffering." This empowered Paul to finish the task Jesus commissioned him to do. Listen to his determination. "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." Resilience is so ingrained that giving up is unthinkable.

You can be empowered by Christ Jesus to endure hardships and suffering. Regardless of how drastic your situation may be, God will help you reap the benefits of growing stronger in your faith as you mature, grow stronger, become kinder, and learn to care for others. Achieving these strengths of character is a worthy objective.  

Resilience: Character Strength for Survival - Part 1

When reading biographies of Christian martyrs, it's impossible not to be amazed by their character strength to endure hardship and pain. They refused to give in to pressures and temptations and abandon their commitment to Christ and his church. Their faith paralleled St. Paul's, who was willing to face death rather than default on his faith in Christ. "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I've committed unto him against that day."

President John F. Kennedy acknowledged this strength of character. "When the going gets tough, the tough get going." Defectors and traitors usually are despised because they portray a weakness of character like Judas, who betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

Resilience is a character strength that enables each of us to overcome adversity and hardships we're bound to face. Pain is inescapable, but St. Paul declared that he rejoiced in suffering because he knew that suffering produced perseverance, another good synonym for resilience. Standing up to adversity strengthens your faith in Christ Jesus.