Urban Life Church

Re:Building Resilience

How many of you find it easy to “bounce back” after a setback?

Why not answer through the comments?? Let's take a quick poll. Do you find it easy to bounce back quickly?

When life hits you hard, major loss, life, job, divorce, bankruptcy, lockdown . . . .

How many of us are finding it a challenge to “bounce back”?

Resilience is a word being used quite frequently lately.Used from describing the human soul all the way through to economies, banks, cities, cultures, countries etc.

The dictionary describes Resilience as, The capacity or ability to recover quickly from difficulties, or to bounce back quickly.

I am not questioning the ability to recover! But can we do it QUICKLY??

OK, let's look at some of the comments.

Now most of us encounter resilience in technology everyday in the form of our mattresses and pillows. We are thankful that technology has invented memory foam. Sponge rubber that has the ability to bounce back quickly. In fact, there are so many things that we probably are unaware of but really enjoy everyday that are resilient.

The problem is that we bring that same expectation, the same mindset, the world view that we should just “bounce back” after a major or even sustained hardship to our soul. A sustained stressful setback. A tragedy, crises or a life altering change.

The human soul is not “foam rubber”, it is very resilient, but not in the same way as memory foam.

The saying, “They will bounce back” is somewhat easy to say, but I think it is very different to achieve in real life.

And maybe, just maybe, we are not meant to “bounce back”. This quick and easy, wake up the next day and everything is just peachy!

Some have suggested, it is more like a battle than a bounce!

I like how someone has described it as:-Resilience is the human heart’s ability to suffer greatly and grow from it.

Now, the Bible is full of encouragement to press on, overcome, persevere in the face of difficulties, temptations and trials.
It also gives many examples of people who suffered greatly but continued to follow God’s plan for their lives.
Characters like Joseph, Moses, Ruth, Esther, David, Jesus, Disciples, Apostle Paul and many others.

In the Old Testament, Job demonstrated great resilience, and God honored him for it. After losing everything, Job was in great agony of soul and body, yet he refused to curse the Lord or give up: “In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing” (Job 1:22). Later, when the suffering intensified, Job’s wife counseled him to “curse God and die!” (Job 2:9), but Job would not even consider such a thing. Despite his suffering, Job knew that God was in control, and that knowledge helped him maintain resilience instead of giving in to defeat.His faith resulted in resiliency.

Rick Warren, But faith doesn’t always take you out of the problem. Faith often takes you through the problem. Faith doesn’t always take away the pain. Faith gives you the ability to handle the pain. Faith doesn’t take you out of the storm. Faith calms you in the midst of the storm.


Resilience isn’t a personality trait that only some people possess. On the contrary, resilience involves behaviors, thoughts and actions that anyone can learn and develop. The ability to learn resilience is one reason research has shown that resilience is ordinary, not extraordinary.

Like building a muscle, increasing your resilience takes time and intentional.

Our bodies are incredibly resilient. The way that they can recover is amazing. When I crushed my finger last year, tearing off the nail and almost severing the tip right off, I wished the body could just bounce back! And looking at it today, almost a year later, yes one could say it is resilient, but it took months to heal and get back to almost 100%
Yes our bodies are resilient, but they don’t bounce back!

Our souls are the same! They can take a massive hit, endure incredible difficulty and struggle. Our souls have an amazing ability to endure incredible pain and suffering. Yes they can return and I believe grow healthier and way beyond our past limits, but they don’t bounce!It is a battle and I believe we need to be Builders not Bouncers!


Let's start our journey in Proverbs 24:16 TPT, For the lovers of God may suffer adversity and stumble seven times, but they will continue to rise over and over again.

When I read that. I stopped and said OK, let me read the context.

I want to propose that we, over the next few weeks, meditate on the first 22 verses of Proverbs 24

If the lovers of God, after stumbling, get up over and over, then I want to know how?

I believe there are some secrets locked up here and elsewhere, that we should do our best to uncover.

Let's start at the beginning of the chapter and find out how to become people who rise up over and over again.
How we can become resilient.
How we can be people who will grow through this current setback, crises, difficulty.How we can use these very difficult times and this season of lockdown, to grow and become people who even when knocked down get up again.

Proverbs 24:1-22 TPT

Today I want to look at the first three key parts to becoming lovers of God who get up over and over again.Grow in wisdom, Become a builder, Build families.

Firstly - Grow in Wisdom

Wisdom is:
Given by God, 1 Corinthians 1:30 For it is not from man that we draw our life but from God as we are being joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. And now he is our God-given wisdom, our virtue, our holiness, and our redemption.

James 1:5 And if anyone longs to be wise, ask God for wisdom and he will give it! He won’t see your lack of wisdom as an opportunity to scold you over your failures but he will overwhelm your failures with his generous grace.
Grown by Grace, Luke 2:40 - The child grew more powerful in grace, for he was being filled with wisdom, and the favor of God was upon him.
Luke 2:52 - As Jesus grew, so did his wisdom and maturity. The favor of men increased upon his life, for he was loved greatly by God.Gained through Experience, Know the will of God and DO the will of God
Vance Havner said "If you lack knowledge, go to school. If you lack wisdom, get on your knees! Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is proper use of knowledge."

Adrian Rogers said "Wisdom is the ability to see life from God's point of view.”

Ortlund - Wisdom is skill, expertise, competence that understands how life really works, how to achieve successful and even beautiful results.

Secondly - Become Builders not Bouncers:
I love that Jesus was a Builder

The Greek word tekton can be translated “carpenter,” “metal worker,” “sculptor,” “artisan,” “stone worker,” or “builder.”

Proverbs 8:22-31 TPT
Luke 6:46-49 TPT

Thirdly - Build Family, Businesses and Communities:

On Father's Day here are my thoughts on being a Master Builder
1 Cor 3:9-11., We are coworkers with God and you are God’s cultivated garden, the house he is building. God has given me unique gifts as a skilled master builder who lays a good foundation. Afterward another craftsman comes and builds on it. So builders beware! Let every builder do his work carefully, according to God’s standards. For no one is empowered to lay an alternative foundation other than the good foundation that exists, which is Jesus Christ!

Passion to Create: Proverbs 8

Build to a plan: God’s plan for your life and family

Know your skill: Trade, Paul was a foundation builder 1 Cor 3:10

No shortcuts: Good foundations Matthew 7 & Luke 6 - 1 Cor 3:11

Trust your fellow workers: God is the Ultimate Builder Ps 127

Trustworthy and program bound: Time flies and soon it will be too late.

Finishes Strong - Can see through the mess to the glory in the end.