Romans 5:3-6 (NKJV) And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
We learn through the writings of the Apostle Paul that he went through deep sufferings for the sake of the gospel. Sufferings which, by the grace of God, not many of us would ever have to personally experience. Yet he stayed resilient throughout his life, and we can detect no vibe of bitterness against God in his epistles. There is much that we can learn from Paul’s experience and convictions as we face our own challenges in life.
The foundation that we establish in our lives will always affect our behavior and reactions. If it is firmly established on the word of God, it would be a Godly foundation. It takes character, patience and endurance to be resilient in spite of all the different kinds of pressure that can come upon our lives. The wonderful news is that His grace is truly sufficient and He will always be there for us.
None of us are strangers to or forever immune from affliction, tribulation and adversity, in one form or another. And perhaps some of us are in the midst of a perfect storm right now which is stretching us to our limit. Many businesses and companies have been adversely affected by the pandemic that began in 2020 and some are still recovering from this crisis, two years down the road. And it is likely that ripple effects will be felt for years to come in all areas of life, whether it is travel, business, family, relationships or health. But we can trust that God will work our life experiences together for our good.
Sermon Series: Resilience (Part 4)
患难生忍耐
罗马书5:3-6不但如此，就是在患难中也是欢欢喜喜的；因为知道患难生忍耐， 忍耐生老练，老练生盼望； 盼望不至于羞耻，因为所赐给我们的圣灵将上帝的爱浇灌在我们心里。 因我们还软弱的时候，基督就按所定的日期为罪人死。
我们从使徒保罗的书信中得知，他为了福音经历了重大的苦难。由于上帝的恩典，我们当中没有多少人会亲身经历这些苦难。然而，保罗一生都保持着韧性，在他的书信中，我们看不出他对上帝有任何怨恨。当我们面对生活中的挑战时，我们可以从保罗的经历和信念中学到很多东西。
我们在生活中建立的基础总是会影响我们的行为和反应。如果它牢固地建立在上帝的话语里，那将是一个敬虔的基础。我们需要品格、恒心和忍耐才能有韧性地面对生活中各种各样的压力。好消息是，祂的恩典够用，祂将永远在我们身边。
我们每个人都对痛苦，磨难和逆境都不陌生，没有人会永远不遭受任何形式的痛苦、磨难和逆境的影响。也许我们中的一些人现在正处于一场完美的风暴之中，这场风暴将我们推向了极限。许多企业和公司受到始于2020年的疫情的不利影响，一些企业和公司在两年后仍在从这场危机中恢复。而且，在未来几年里，无论是旅行、商务、家庭、人际关系还是健康，生活的各个领域都可能感受到一连串的连锁反应。但我们可以相信，上帝会使我们的生活经历互相效力而得益处。
讲章系列：韧性（反弹/恢复能力）（第四部）
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