By Julian M. Melgosa, PhD
Abuse, whether experienced as a child, through a violent act, or within the home, leaves scars that can last a lifetime. God is our healer and our helper in all our pain and trials. He has given us doctors, counselors, friends, and family members who will walk with us through the healing process. But what is it in the human psyche that gives us the ability to rebound from life’s major challenges? Resilience.
The good news is that God’s path to resilience can be learned by each of us.
But first, what is resilience?
An entry in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines resilience as the “ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.” This kind of “resilience is the process of adapting well when faced with a traumatic event, such as adversity, trauma, tragedy, and threats or significant sources of stress.”1
Some life experiences that
Last Generation is a magazine for people seeking spiritual answers to the current issues of our times.
Your subscription will give you:
*Digital-only subscriptions also available
“The Road to Resilience: What Is Resilience?” American Psychological Association, https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience
Ibid.
“The Road to Resilience: Resilience Factors and Strategies,” American Psychological Association, https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience
“Resilience: What Is It?” BrainLine. https://www.brainline.org/article/resilience-what-it
“The Road to Resilience: 10 Ways to Build Resilience,” American Psychological Association, https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/road-resilience
White, Ellen, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 183.
Dr. Julian Melgosa is the Associate Director of Education for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He is a chartered psychologist and has written many articles and books about emotional health. This article is excerpted from his sermon “God’s Path to Resilience,” given at the enditnow Emphasis Day. For similar resources, visit www.enditnow.org.