Resilient: Restoring Your Weary Soul . . .
John Eldredge titles his latest book Resilient: Restoring Your Weary Soul in These Turbulent Times (Thomas Nelson, 2022). John serves as president of Wild at Heart, a ministry based in Colorado Springs, CO. In many ways the author sees this book as the second part of a conversation on resiliency started in his previous book, Get Your Life Back. One of the deepest yearnings of the human heart involves the longing for things to be good again. Consequently, it’s important that we shepherd this longing in the right direction. Thus, John calls this essential, God-given craving the Primal Drive for Life. But since we’re simultaneously resilient and unpredictably fragile, a good test of our vulnerability is to check on our reserves. Therefore, we must lovingly shepherd our famished thirst back to Jesus.
In addition, John stresses, knowing your moment in time matters. Jesus wants you to know where you are. Most significantly, the battle is for the narrative: who frames your story for you. Because it’s either God or someone else. Also, to fight this battle, God urges us to ask for combative strength, strength to win the fight. Furthermore, the strength that prevails first comes to us as simply the strength not to quit. And the strength that prevails starts with a single mindset — that you cherish God above all things. Choosing to love God despite our weariness serves as the first step of courage to stand and be single-hearted. Yet, if we ignore God’s provision for us, we cannot hope to find resilience. The battle is always over the heart.
Hence, the goal of God’s work in us centers on Jesus taking up residence in every part of us, eliminating all pockets of resistance. Above all, John underscores, we’re in dire need of the resilience holiness provides. As a result, if God’s not in even the most promising of ideas, we want no part of that idea. Certainly, every human being wants to recover their Eden heart — with or without God. Therefore, we must make sure that the tender part of our heart belongs to Jesus. So, when your Eden longings rise up in you, store them in the only safe place. Give them to Jesus. And practice turning your attention to Jesus-within-you, learning to draw strength from the depth of your being.
In conclusion, John exhorts, allow the Scriptures to open up new horizons for you. Otherwise, you remain within the confines of your experience. Also, Scripture clearly tells us that God resides in the depths of our inmost being. This = the secret of all recovery and a resilient spirit. Jesus urges us toward endurance and resilience, but we must take hold of it. In the process, that act provides recovery for the past and builds resilience for the future. In addition, you need to make adjustments to replenish your reserves. Most of all, you need a protected, sacred margin to replenish, one that’s untouchable and nonnegotiable. Finally, bring your feelings under the rule of Christ. Rather than coddle them. Choose single-heartedness and desire Jesus above all else!
