Resurrection and Resilience

In the second week of my post-Easter break from worship leading I’m feeling like I’ve finally come off the treadmill. Yesterday had a day of reflection and retreat. As always, I need to remember that I can get to this place and desperately need this space, even when my schedule is “normal”

I’m happily reading Diana Butler Bass’s latest book, Freeing Jesus, and anticipating the arrival of some other resources. I’m also reading Faith Begins at Home by Mark Holmen which has some interesting suggestions for growing discipleship within families. I finally made space to do the online Easter retreat offered by Backstory Preaching and then took in an online seminar about resilience.

All of these things have served to feed my soul and spark my imagination. A walk with a good friend also lifted my spirits, although with her hat, mask and sunglasses I barely recognized he, perhaps not unlike the companion on the Emmaus road. Last weekend I was exhausted in pretty much every way possible and I was worried about how and how quickly I could replenish my reserves for the coming Easter season.

In John 20:19-31 Jesus appears in the house where the disciples are cowering together, unsure of what to do, and likely exhausted from grief and all that had happened. The locked door is no match for the resurrected Christ, and He shows His wounds to prove who He is and then breathes the Spirit on them to comfort and empower, wishing peace for them, and telling them that they have the ability to forgive or retain the sins of others.

As I reflect on this story and the reading I’ve been able to do and the walking and that seminar on resilience, I feel that Jesus has done the same for me. The Spirit has been present in the words and example of the authors and I’ve found some peace and direction and the ability to work through some of my own concerns and worries, finding a resting place and some peace. The strength of the Christian community around me, virtually and over the phone and in person, reminds me that the Spirit moves through all of us and we can uplift each other because of God’s presence in each of us.

The seminar on resilience was from a business world perspective, but as we consider unlocking our worship and opening our doors we need to find our resilience and inspire it in others. The six pillars of resilience listed in the seminar are confidence, adaptability, positivity, perspective, mastery and stamina. All of these are needed as we look at doing church in yet another new way and as we adapt to the regulations and latest realities of the pandemic.

As I continue in this time of rejuvenation and rest and restoration, I hope that I can use what God has given to me through the various resources that have been placed in my path. I know that nothing is by chance, and I’m trying to take note of all the ways that Jesus is reaching out, sneaking past the ‘locks’ I may have put around me of anxiety and fear, perhaps even a touch of a Messiah complex.

In this time that continues to be so challenging we need to be willing to embrace Christ however He shows up and to see Him around us, breathing new life into us and revealing His wounds so that we are reminded that He understands our struggles and pain too. And we need to heed the call to forgive others who have wronged us directly or indirectly, and perhaps to even forgive ourselves for being less than perfect followers.

Peace be with you.