EP. 156 Three Ways to Boost Your Resilience in Difficult Times

To View the Video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/v-AnhBge3rI

SHOW NOTES

Welcome to a new week of the Hope Rescue Podcast, and happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers who listen to our podcast. This week on the podcast we are talking about the resilience of mothers. Kimberly shares parts of her journey as a single mother of five, and Tim shares the story of Hannah in the Bible.

Resilience is defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. Kimberly says that resilience produces a life that thrives. You cannot become a resilient person without facing adversity, and the more trials you experience the better you can become at being a resilient person. Throughout history, mothers are especially known for being resilient.

Do you count adversities in your life as joy? James 1:2-4 says, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Do you count trials as joy or as time for a pity party?

Tim goes on to ask Kimberly to describe her time as a single mother. She explains that she was thirty-six, a single mother of five children, and unprepared. She says that she felt incredibly alone, especially when the kids were asleep at night and she was the only adult in the house. She says that the sense of responsibility was overwhelming. She felt waves of hopelessness hit her at times, especially when she would think about the future and feel completely overwhelmed by what was to come. Kimberly explains that even though it was an incredibly challenging time in her life, she never lost her hope. There is a difference between the hope in the world and the hope described in the Bible. Hope in the world is wishful thinking, simply hoping for something to happen. Hope in the Bible is a confident expectation for the fulfillment of God’s promises in our lives and in eternity. Kimberly goes on to explain that the thing that kept her anchored in that difficult time was staying in step spiritually with Jesus. She had such joy in being a mom. Her foundation in her faith and her love for her kids kept her going, even when things were difficult.

Kimberly goes on to say that when the walls of your life have come tumbling in, anchor yourself in a hope in Jesus. God is waiting to give you the hope to make it through each day. Find something to be grateful for. If you can anchor your heart in gratitude, it'll take your focus off what's wrong in your life and put it on what's right.

Tim closes the podcast by sharing the story of Hannah in the Bible which can be found in First Samuel chapter one. Hannah was married to a man who had a second wife. Hannah was infertile during a time when having a child, especially a male child, was paramount for women. Although scripture tells us the Lord had made her barren, she was bullied and mocked by the other wife, ​​Peninnah. Eventually the Lord blessed Hannah with a son who she named Samuel and dedicated him to the Lord.

3 Ways Hannah Inspires Us to be Resilient

1. Pray and connect with God. Feed yourself spiritually and stay anchored in God’s Word.

2. Connect with others. Build up a community of friends and believers who will encourage you and be there to lean on when times get tough.

3. Accept and focus on what you have and not what you want. Verbalize what you are thankful for every day. Thank the Lord for what He has already provided.