Who had to bounce back in the Bible?

May 15 - May 19, 2023 | Always Peachy Devotionals | Bouncing Back Week 3

Happy Mother’s Day!

This month we’ve been talking about resilience, and I don’t think there is any more resilient person in the world than a mom. I know lots of moms, and they all wear me out with the struggles they deal with on a regular basis. So be sure you thank the moms in your life. Even if you don’t have a great relationship with her, she’s your mom.

So far in this study of how to bounce back, we’ve talked about what resilience looks like and why it matters. I hope it’s meant as much to you as it has to me. Maybe you’ve ever had some conversations about it. I sure have. Funny how once you start studying something regularly you find reasons to discuss it with others.

The thing about resilience and the concept of learning how to bounce back is that it’s so broad. It’s such a huge topic, you can almost apply it to any conversation or situation. And the Bible is LOADED with stories of people who had to learn how to be resilient.

We mentioned several by name in the first week of this study, but for this week we’re going to get really specific. We’re going to look at five Bible characters who experienced some big-time trouble and what they did in response.

It’s so important to study the Bible, not just for the sake of memorizing it. Of course, we want to memorize it. We want to hide God’s Word in our hearts whenever we can so that we can share it with others at every opportunity. But following Jesus is more than just being able to recite verses and remember references. It’s understanding God’s heart. It’s allowing the Holy Spirit to transform the way you think. It’s learning from Jesus’ actions and words.

So who are the resilient heroes from the Bible that we’re going to meet this week?

• May 15 - Joseph

• May 16 - Hannah

• May 17 - Daniel

• May 18 - Paul

• May 19 - Timothy

Some of those you may have heard of. Others you may not be as familiar with. And if none of these strike your fancy, by all means, go look for some who do. There are SO MANY. Esther, Hagar, Leah, Rahab, Mary, Abigail, and all the unnamed women who never gave up. Jeremiah, Josiah, Manasseh, Nehemiah, Nebuchadnezzar, Simon Peter, and on and on and on the list goes. Extraordinary men and women who refused to give up no matter how awful life got.

Who are some of your favorite Bible heroes who didn’t surrender their hope when life got dark? What about some of your favorite people from history outside the Bible? There are several on my list!

Along with the idea of bouncing back, our memory verse this week is found in one of the most beautiful and well-loved Psalms in the Bible, Psalm 37:23-24.

I love the imagery of stumbling but not falling. That happens to me a lot. I’m a fairly clumsy person, after all, so stumbling is a normal occurrence. But just because I trip doesn’t mean I’m going to fall down. And that’s what this Psalm means.

All of us are going to stumble. It’s just a fact of life because none of us are perfect. But stumbling and tripping doesn’t instantly mean you’re going to fall down. It’s possible to stumble and stay upright. It’s possible to trip and keep moving forward. And that’s what God allows us to do through His power.

Hold on to God’s hand and never let go, and the next time you trip over your own feet, you won’t go down. You can keep walking.

That’s true resilience.

Praying for all of you this week.

Amy

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