Resilient Faith - Run With Horses

rwh26april Ep.361 – Run With Horses Podcast – Resilient Faith

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Author pages with links to all books on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BCSDDVLB – James Norman Smith

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BMGW51FW – Susan Jane Smith

Welcome to Run With Horses! My name is Norman and my goal is to help you thrive as a follower of Jesus. The spiritual life is simple in many ways, but potentially the most difficult part of your life. God invites you to grow, to live intentionally and to join in His mission. It’s very cool that we can do that together!

Thank you for joining me today! “If you’re new here, you can check out past episodes at runwithhorses.net. As always, I appreciate your feedback, questions, and reviews!”

Resilience is the ability to withstand, recover and even thrive in the midst of life’s challenges while trusting God to accomplish His work. Resilience is really about our Faith. It is the strength and endurance to keep pressing forward in the face of adversity, maintaining faith in God’s sovereignty and goodness. Resilience is not simply about surviving difficulty, but about growing spiritually and becoming more Christ-like in the process.

Biblical Understanding of Resilience

Patience Matures Our Faith: James 1:2-4 See trials as opportunities for spiritual growth:

Resilience is tied to patience developed through trials. Instead of letting trials break us, we allow them to refine and mature our faith, making us more like Jesus.
God’s Strength in Our Weakness: The Apostle Paul exemplifies resilience in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:

Resilience in the Christian life is not about our own strength, but about relying on God’s strength. Our weakness becomes the vehicle for God’s power to work through us, glorifying God and accomplishing His Will.
Imitate Christ’s Example: Hebrews 12:1-2, Follow Jesus’ example of enduring the cross, all for the joy set before Him:

Jesus endured because He had an eternal perspective. Resilience, for the follower of Christ, involves fixing our eyes on the hope and reward that await us in eternity. Tis life is the journey that God uses to prepare us for eternity with Him.
Trusting God’s Promises Leads to Hope: Romans 5:3-5 :

Hope is really important when we face challenges. And there is always Hope in Jesus! Trials refine our character and deepen our relationship with God. Knowing Him and His purposes, ultimately makes us more resilient in our Journey of Faith.

Resilience and Discipleship

In the life of a believer, resilience is directly connected to discipleship and spiritual growth. Discipleship is not just about learning doctrine or performing religious duties; it is about becoming more like Jesus. As we endure trials with faith and patience, we grow in spiritual maturity and learn to depend on God more fully.

Resilience Shapes Character: As we persevere through challenges, our character is refined, and we learn to love, trust, and obey God more fully. Romans 5:3-5 shows that tribulation produces perseverance, which leads to stronger character and unshakable hope.
Resilience Cultivates Faithfulness: Discipleship is about the journey of following God daily in every circumstances. 1 Peter 1:6-7 reminds us that our faith is tested, and once proven, brings glory to God:

As we remain faithful under trial, we demonstrate the genuineness of our faith. This faith, Real, tested and proven, will bring glory to God.
Spiritual Growth Through Trials: The process of growing as a disciple requires us to be resilient. Trials are the training ground for spiritual maturity if you are a disciple of Jesus. He never promised an easy path!
But He promises that it would be worth it in the end.

The Role of the Holy Spirit in Resilience

The Holy Spirit is integral to developing resilience. Romans 8:11 speaks of the power of the Holy Spirit to give life and strength to believers:

The same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead enables believers to live with endurance, overcoming obstacles and remaining faithful in trials. Prayer and trusting God to work when our strength is gone are both Key for developing the abiity to get up every time life knocks you down.

Resilience Keeps You On The Path To Christ-likeness

As we endure hardship, we grow in patience, character, and hope, which ultimately leads to greater spiritual maturity. This process is central to ongoing discipleship, as it shapes us into the image of Christ.

A disciple of Jesus is on a continual journey of growing in faith, learning to rely on God’s strength daily, and persevering through life’s trials. Both disciples and disciple makers have a role to play in this journey of Faith. Spiritual strength is nurtured through the spiritual disciplines as we deepen our relationship with God, and learn to trust in His faithfulness.

How To Develop Resilience

See the Big Picture: God is at work in the world and trials are normal and natural. The goal is not to avoid them but to grow through them. Let God accomplish His work in your life. God opens doors for ministry through our personal trials, look for them!
Do everything that you can to grow and mature your Faith! Be intentional about life, particularly your spiritual life.
Embrace God’s Word: One of the foundational ways a disciple develops resilience is through a deeper understanding of and trust in God’s Word. The Bible gives an eternal perspective for enduring trials. By studying Scripture, disciples learn what God is doing and learn to trust His promises, which gives them the strength to persevere.
- Psalm 119:50:
A Deeper Relationship with God: Resilience is nurtured through a close relationship with God. Everything that we do to draw closer to Him helps prepare us for the next challenge. Prayer, meditation and memorizaton of the Bible and time with God’s family all strengthen our trust in God’s provision, wisdom, and presence. Jesus modeled these in His own life, we should do no less.
- Philippians 4:6-7:
Through Reliance on God’s Strength (Not Our Own): Resilience is not about self-sufficiency, but about relying on God’s strength. The Apostle Paul was a model of this truth, understanding that his weakness allowed God’s strength to be more clearly displayed.
- 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:
  
  A disciple develops resilience by recognizing that through their weakness that God’s power is most evident. This humility and dependence on God’s grace is key to enduring trials with perseverance.
Through Practicing Obedience and Faithfulness in Small Things: Resilience is developed when a disciple learns to be faithful in the small things, trusting God in everyday life. Obedience, even in seemingly insignificant matters, builds the foundation for enduring greater trials.
- Luke 16:10:
  
  By being faithful in small matters, a disciple strengthens their ability to endure more significant trials and challenges.
Through Fellowship with Other Believers: Resilience is also cultivated in the context of community. Believers encourage one another, pray for one another, and share in each other’s struggles. Being part of a supportive Christian community strengthens a disciple’s ability to persevere.
- Hebrews 10:24-25:
  
  Fellowship provides encouragement and accountability, helping disciples remain resilient as they navigate life’s challenges.

How a Disciple Maker Helps Others Develop Resilience

A disciple maker has a unique role in helping others grow in resilience by walking alongside them, providing guidance, and encouraging them to press on in their faith. Here’s how a disciple maker can help others develop resilience:

Modeling Resilience through Personal Example: One of the most powerful ways a disciple maker can encourage resilience is by modeling it in their own life. When a disciple maker faces trials and shows how they rely on God’s strength, it serves as a powerful testimony for others to follow.
- 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7:
Teaching the Importance of Perspective: Disciple makers can help others develop resilience by teaching them to have an eternal perspective on their trials. They can point others to the hope of eternal life and the ultimate victory that awaits, even in the midst of hardship.
- Romans 8:18:
  
  By helping others keep an eternal perspective, disciple makers teach them to view their trials in light of God’s promises and the hope of future glory.
Encouraging the Practice of Spiritual Disciplines: Disciple makers should encourage the regular practice of spiritual disciplines—prayer, Bible study, worship, and fasting—as these practices strengthen the disciple’s spiritual resilience.
- Colossians 2:6-7:
  
  Spiritual disciplines help to deepen a disciple’s relationship with God, which builds the foundation for resilience.
Providing Encouragement and Accountability: A disciple maker should be a source of encouragement and accountability, especially in difficult times. They can remind the disciple of God’s faithfulness, pray for them, and offer counsel that points them back to Christ.
- Galatians 6:2:
  
  Helping others bear their burdens is an essential part of developing resilience. A disciple maker should walk alongside their disciples, offering support, encouragement, and wisdom during trials.
Helping Disciplines Focus on God’s Promises: Disciple makers can help others develop resilience by pointing them back to God’s promises in times of hardship. The promises of God’s presence, provision, and protection provide a firm foundation for resilience.
- Isaiah 41:10:
  
  A disciple maker can continually remind those they are discipling of the faithfulness of God, helping them to trust in His promises during difficult times.

Conclusion

A disciple of Jesus develops resilience by deeply engaging with God’s Word, prayer, dependence on God’s strength, obedience, and fellowship with other believers. A disciple maker helps others develop resilience by modeling it, teaching the importance of perspective, encouraging spiritual disciplines, providing support, and focusing on God’s promises. Together, these practices foster a strong, enduring faith that enables believers to press on through trials and grow more like Christ in the process.

Doctrine Today

Spiritual Warfare

It’s not easy to keep going when the journey is long and tough. The good news is that Jesus understands and takes the journey with us. You never have to face the trials alone. Stand tall and lean on Jesus in the middle of Life’s storms, trusting that He is growing you into the person you need to be.

– “Thank you for listening today!

-If you enjoyed the show you can listen to all the past shows wherever you listen to podcasts. A good place to start is at runwithhorses.net. You can also write me at norman@runwithhorses.net or leave a comment on the Run With Horses Podcast facebook page.

Don’t be discouraged by the challenges you face. Keep your eyes on Jesus and embrace the opportunity to grow through the trial. Until next time, keep your eyes on Jesus and never stop running.”