Choosing Response: The Superpower of Resilience

We respect people who have faced extraordinary health challenges but didn't lose their love for life, they didn't despair. They exercised their superpower, their superpower. It's a power that we all have and when exercised, it actually keeps us from becoming like our enemies, it keeps us from reflecting our circumstances. It thwarts evil, our superpower allows us to redeem suffering and your superpower is why you can be better for it. [00:12:51]

Our ability to respond rather than react because your ability to choose a response rather than have it dictated to you or your ability to choose something rather than just do what's expected of you or to simply model what you've seen done, your ability to respond allows you to dictate and influence your own future because and you know this. [00:29:05]

When we react, and this is the point of today's message, when we simply react, we actually relinquish control of our lives and we ultimately relinquish control of our destiny and our legacy. But a measured response, a measured thought through response ensures that that doesn't happen. [00:57:12]

Joseph, by this time, is the governor of the land, he's the second most powerful person in Egypt, which means he's for all practical purposes, the second most powerful person in the world. He was the governor of the land and the person who sold the grain to all his people, so when Joseph's brothers arrive, they bow down to him with their faces to the ground. [19:47:96]

And now, when it counted most, Joseph once again, chose not to react, but to respond and he forgave his brothers. The text says this, "Come close to me," he said. And I'm sure that took a while don't you think? Come close to me and he said, "I am your brother, Joseph." [22:51:36]

When we are able, when we are able to believe and when we are able to respond as if God is with us, we gain a perspective on what's behind our circumstances that we can't gain any other way. And this is such a powerful reminder of that because Joseph is able to come to the conclusion, the reason I'm here, the reason I went through everything I went through, God had a plan in my suffering. [23:18:28]

And if all we do is react, not only will we not be better for it, we will never have the perspective that allows us to move successfully into our future. Now, what nobody knew about this encounter was that God's entire plan of salvation for the world, hung by the thread of Joseph's response. [24:29:35]

Here's the thing, our superpower, our respond ability gives us the potential to be better for it, whatever it is. And you know this, we don't get to choose the it, that's part of the problem, right? We don't choose the it. But our response, your response is what determines whether or not we will be better for it, regardless of what the it is. [27:11:83]

How would someone in my circumstances respond? How would someone in my circumstances respond? How would someone in my circumstances respond? We know how someone in my circumstances would react, we see that all the time, but how would someone in my circumstances respond if they were absolutely confident? God was with them. [28:31:09]

Your answer, your answer to that question is your invitation to exercise your superpower. Your answer to this question is your best way forward. And if you act on it, you will emerge from whatever you're facing, better for it. Let's face it, we are no better than our responses, but our responses have extraordinary potential to make us and to make the world better. [28:45:23]

You have a superpower, your respond ability, use it. If you do, you will be better for it, the people around you will be better for it. And who knows? Perhaps, the world would be better for it as well. How would someone in your circumstances respond if they were confident? God was with them. [29:45:83]