Beacon Hill Church

We are all on a faith journey.

We place our faith in someone or something.

· The question is where or in whom are we placing our faith?

The answer to that question will determine whether we merely survive the crisis or we thrive in the aftermath.

Resilience is often a misunderstood concept in our society. We hear about resilience as the ability to: “bounce back;” “pick yourself up;” or “overcome challenges.”

That definition doesn’t describe resilience, but survival.

· Definition of survival: “the state or fact of continuing to live or exist, typically in spite of an accident, ordeal, or difficult circumstances.”


· Definition of Resiliency: “The ability to be happy, successful, etc. again after something difficult or bad has happened.


Point #1 – Resiliency exists because of the presence of adversity

Resiliency is not about surviving through adversity.

Resiliency exists because of the presence of adversity and how you learn and grow from it.


When our faith faces resistant obstacles and challenges; instead of losing or weakening our faith, when we continue to believe our faith becomes stronger, more powerful and able to endure.

Abraham’s faith grew stronger as he continued to believe God’s promise of posterity, that he would be the father of a great nation; in the face of his advanced age and Sarah’s continued barrenness.

His faith faced resistance and grew stronger.


Point #2 – Faith is strengthened when faced with resistance

This woman had chronic hemorrhaging from the womb for twelve years. She endured physical pain, experiences emotional pain, and suffers spiritual separation.

She would have been considered an outcast in her culture, but something changed “When she heard about Jesus.”


SHE HEARD ABOUT JESUS AND SHE BEGAN TO HOPE AGAIN

· Her hope gave way to faith and she began to believe she might be well again!

This woman who formerly had NO HOPE, who had NO STRENGTH, who had NO RESOURCES began to do the unthinkable!

She began to press through the crowd to touch the hem of Jesus’ garment.

· Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. (v. 29)

· The woman had pushed through her pain and her fear, all the way to faith to obtain her healing.


JAIRUS FACED A FEAR OF ANOTHER KIND – A fear that would test the veracity of his faith


The healing of the woman resulted in a delay that proved catastrophic for Jairus’ young daughter.

Jesus deliberately ignored their comment and its suggestion and said to Jairus: “DON’T BE AFRAID; JUST BELIEVE!” Jesus called Jairus to an intense form of faith.


· The kind of faith that looks beyond the circumstances to the sovereignty and power of God.


· Jairus is asked to PUSH THROUGH THE FEAR OF DEATH, AND BELIEVE THAT JESUS POSSESSED THE POWER AND AUTHORITY TO CONQUER DEATH.

What happens when our faith doesn’t lead to a healing or a resurrection from the dead?


Point #3 – RESILIENT FAITH THRIVES
(even when we don’t see tangible results)


Sometimes resilience is defined as the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; like a piece of elastic or a rubber band.

When thinking of Christian faith, however, resilience takes on a deeper, fuller meaning.


I believe as our heavenly Father stretches our faith, He does so to transform it into something bigger and stronger. Thicker and wider. Wiser and kinder and enduring.

Those who continue to be faithful and faith-filled in the face of suffering and loss are those who have developed a resilient faith. Theirs is even better blessings, then we can imagine.


What if we pressed through the obstacles of resistance? What if we believed without seeing? That kind of faithfulness is boundless in its impact and influence.