Building Emotional Resilience Through God’s Presence
Life is full of unexpected ups and downs. At times, it can feel like you pull yourself up only to be knocked down once again. The ability to “bounce back” from difficult circumstances and adapt to the ever-changing tides of life is vital to living the abundant life Jesus promised.
This ability, called resilience, although not explicitly mentioned in Scripture, is a vital component of the Christian life. We might call it “overcoming” or “endurance,” and you might have heard sermons preached on perseverance. All of these concepts are synonymous with what the mental health world calls resilience.
Building our Faith without Bypassing our Feelings
Oftentimes in the Christian world, it seems that pastors and sermons bypass the very real experiences and feelings we have with life's challenges and emphasize putting our hope in God. (“Do not worry”, “The joy of the Lord is my strength”, etc.) While these words are true, it is necessary to affirm and validate that life is challenging and our emotions reflect the hardships. The Bible is full of examples of this- from David pouring his heart out in the Psalms, Jesus crying out to the Father on the cross, to Paul encouraging Believers to “let perseverance have its full effect”. When we build our capacity for resilience, we acknowledge that life IS hard, our emotions CAN be overwhelming, but we are also able to put our Hope in God. He is with us in our suffering, and our help is found in Him.
Attachment to God as a Foundation for Overcoming
According to research, trauma occurs when we suffer alone. It is not the trials themselves that create the fractures in our souls, but the feeling of aloneness in the midst of them. Believers in Jesus have continual access to connection and a secure relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. Attachment theory suggests that when we have a secure attachment, we are far more resilient in the midst of difficult circumstances. Having a secure and vibrant relationship with God can undo this “aloneness” and create a reservoir of trust and confidence that carries us through, enabling us to “bounce back” even from the most difficult situations.
Christian Counseling as a Road to Resilience
Christian Counseling can help bring Jesus into your story. The presence of Jesus-with-us, Emmanuel, can begin to fill in the broken places. To change the narrative from one of suffering alone to growing through difficulty with God at our side. As we heal and grow in our confidence that we are never alone, our capacity grows. Our resilience develops. And we are able to go forward and run the race.
Our counselors are ready to sit with you, invite Jesus into your story, and help to build your resilience.
