What Is Resilience? - The Rules of Resilience: How to Thrive in a World of Change and Uncertainty

“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9, NLT)

“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” (James 1:2-4, NLT)

Whatever made you start this devotional, my guess is that you have already endured many situations in which you needed resilience, even if that’s not the word you might have used to describe it.

Resilience is most often described as the ability to bounce back and successfully navigate challenges, adversity, and change. The American Psychological Association defines resilience as “the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences, especially through mental, emotional and behavioral flexibility and adjustment to external and internal demands.”^a

That definition is accurate. But I want to invite you to see your resilience more importantly as a system you create that enables you to adapt to, withstand, and recover from stressors. A system is an organized framework or method—a set of rules, choices, or procedures that accomplish a specific goal. In this case, the goal is resilience, which is a necessary ingredient for success. The stronger your system of resilience, the more likely you are to accomplish a vision or overcome hardships and setbacks.

Of course, challenges and adversity are part of the human experience. And stress, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. Much like germs and bacteria build a baby’s immune system, some amount of stress strengthens your resilience system, giving you the opportunity to step out of your comfort zone, grow, build your mental muscles, and even inspire you to improve and perform better. Stress also increases alertness and memory, and helps you focus your energy to get things done. It could be harmful if it is prolonged or overwhelming. Chronic, heavy stress is what you want to avoid—negative drama in ongoing relationships, continual financial strain, unrelenting health challenges, years of struggling in a career or business, and any threats to your well-being.

When you are resilient, you are tapping into rules that you can intentionally use again and again to navigate any challenge that comes along. If you learn the rules, you can build a personal system of resilience. You can begin to create a new reality with more joy and peace, and less stress and adversity. You can become more purposeful about welcoming positive relationships into your life while building and tapping into them. You can become more intentional about seeking wise counsel, coaching, and advice, and using that wisdom to protect, build, and enhance your life, as well as to identify potential blind spots that could derail your plans. No matter your level of resilience today, you can make it stronger.