James’s Inspiring Tips for Resilience: Finding Strength in James 1:1–12
“Resilience, is the ability to absorb and bounce back from shocks.” It is the capacity to move on, even in difficult circumstances.
Facing the Weight of Life’s Hardships
In life, hardships are many and of significant intensity — moments that truly test our resilience! Many are the adversities that fall on people’s necks unaware. If not financial, it is security, if not security, health issues, if not health, natural disasters. Man, who is born of a woman, is few of days and full of troubles. (Job 14:1)
For James, like Lucky Dube, that is the way it is! Hardships are inevitable. The question to us is: how do you respond to what comes your way?
In East African citizens, resilience has dropped from 50% to 46%, according to the world risk poll report of 2024. It is also reported by the wellbeing project, that the Gen z, who make up around 27% of the global work force, show a low resilience, and the recommendation was a call to equip young people out, of that pit.
Besides the reports, divorce numbers in Rwanda of 2019, 2022/2023, 2024/2025, hint of a diminished resilience to push marriage-life a bit longer. At work and in schools, we see a decrease in resilience. And, of course, many other factors are involved, which are not resilience.
In our stormy and chaotic world, experience has of course given to some, natural abilities of bearing their crosses. Psychologists and other sciences have many proposals of how to carry our burdens. Everyone now has his own secret; a pill which he or she swallows to calm it all.
No offence! I am not against medicines, some of us need antidepressants, and it is okay. But that being said, they are not working for some of us. Not all headaches need a paracetamol. And not all physical unwellness, need a gym subscription.
But reader, isn’t this irrelevant? Are you relating with the hardships’ prevalence? Have their stimuli forced you to find a response? What is it then? What is your secret? Are you in a search for one? Is it working? Maybe it is too early reader! Like the mad man in Nietzsche’s story, it might be early for you to reflect about these things. In that case, you are free to stop and find something else to read. To whom it may concern, James has a secret To whom it may concern, James has a secret — one that reveals the source of true resilience.
To those scattered, James wrote his letter. That word scattered, meant a lot to Rwandans in a few years back, of now I doubt. It can be now only understood by the Ukrainians and the people in Gaza, and the many who are scattered not by choice but insecurity of many kinds. He shares useful advice from which am fetching the tips below:
A call to change our attitude towards trials
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds. That is how James sets us off in his secret. It is difficult, but seemingly helpful. By the way, it is working for me. Basically, he is asking us to look at trials not entirely as useless. But, as a school, that in one way or another might bring an advantage, an advantage that might not have come otherwise. Quite an approach! Attitude matters! The moment one chooses to endure, he or she has half way won the trial. Viktor Frankl, is a good example in his book, The search for meaning. Jesus too is a good example, in his attitude to the certain death. Always remember: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Phil 4:13)
A call to ask for wisdom
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all... [Vs.5]
Instead of asking the endless whys, James calls us to ask for wisdom when amidst trials. When crises are at the door, the best resource to buy is wisdom: wisdom from God, the all-knowing creator. God should not be confused with A.I, the new invisible God praised by many to have all the answers. No! Information is not wisdom. In trials, the need is not only information, but love, which A.I cannot provide. In trials, one does not need a lecture about suffering, but someone whom they can suffer together. What think you? What is the best resource?
Having God’s perspective on life
It is said that; once a man asked a friend how he looked like, and the man replied, you look like a pig. Very sad, the man went on and met a monk. After asking the same question, the monk replied, you look like God. For your information, the first man was a pig farmer. We all have a lens through which we see things. When everyone swallows the lie that God is no longer in the picture, the God looking, become Pig looking. The trials that will have an end, will always appear permanent to those ignorant of God. Those ignorant of God’s plans will handle their trials in a different manner from the ones with hope in the Lord. Theology matters.
… For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant: its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. [Vs.11] That’s the way it is!
For James, Blessed is the one who perseveres under the trials. And for him, the reward is worth the challenges. [Vs.12] May Mary, the mother who bore the crucifixion of his son, and Jesus, the son who bore the cross, and the other heroes, be the examples to look upon as we bear all that we encounter.
May the three tips be a walking stick to those in need of resilience and hope. And for a deeper search, and understanding, the tips are well articulated in Chip Ingram’s small book called the A.R.T of Survival, a book that I owe a lot in this reflection.
There then, is James’s secret, and whether it makes a difference - it remains for you to say.