Resilience

RESILIENCE

Resilience encapsulates the defiant  response against the dehumanizing effects of suffering  and the human capacity to overcome suffering and emerge stronger.

Suffering endures as an indelible fact of life with which every person contends.  Albeit to differing degrees and  in unique ways, suffering permeates every dimension of existence:  somatogenic, psychogenic, and noogenic.  Though many are overwhelmed by their struggles in life, many overcome, displaying what Viktor Frankl encounters in his concentration camp experience as the “ defiant quality of the human spirit.“  Resilience encapsulates this defiant  response against the dehumanizing effects of suffering  and demonstrates the human capacity to overcome suffering and emerge stronger.

We possess “...no better way to learn about tried-and-true methods for becoming more resilient than to listen to, be inspired by, and follow the advice of resilient people who have already ‘been there.’” 

In their book Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life’s Greatest Challenges, Steven Southwick and Dennis Charney delve into the lives of men and women who suffered much and who “...chose to speak so that their stories and their insights might help others.” (Resilience, p. viii)  Though each person’s struggles with suffering remains unique, Southwick and Charney identify common characteristics, or resilient factors, of these courageous men and women.  We possess “...no better way to learn about tried-and-true methods for becoming more resilient than to listen to, be inspired by, and follow the advice of resilient people who have already ‘been there.’” (Resilience, p. 16)  Furthermore, “...they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” (Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, p. 66)

The characteristics of a resilient person are not mutually exclusive but overlap and interweave, like strands of steel forming a cable of superior resilience.  Some of the factors covered in Resilience include being spiritual, moral, optimistic, courageous, communal, and purposeful.

The realization of personal insufficiency and God’s sufficiency reflects the ultimate self-awareness necessary to realize how God strengthens us when we humbly seek Him.

An acute awareness of a force and presence greater than themselves undergirds and encourages men and women in the face of trials and tribulations.  In the midst of their struggle emerges an intimate experience of God's presence, a newfound or heightened sense of purpose to their suffering, and strength to persevere. 

Dramatic examples of the importance of God’s presence in the face of trauma come from the soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who find themselves in harm's way.  Vietnam POW, Larry Stark, “...believes that God is always present, that He understands our ‘situation,’ and that He will work as a partner to lighten our load, if only we recognize his presence.” (Resilience, p. 119)  Blunt and compelling, Bob Shumaker, another Vietnam POW, admonishes new POWs, “…If you can’t tap into a source of strength and power greater than yourself, you’re probably not gonna last.” (Resilience, p. 120)  The realization of personal insufficiency and God’s sufficiency reflects the ultimate self-awareness necessary to realize how God strengthens us when we humbly seek Him.

The impact of faith in God Who is with us appears in the lives of the physically and mental-emotionally disordered, as well.  For those suffering with addiction, life is a prison from which no one escapes.  Addiction trumps will-power every time; no way exists to free oneself.  As Alcoholics Anonymous admonishes, “...human resources, as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly.  We had to find a power by which we could live [free], and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves….And it means, of course, that we are going to talk about God.” (Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd ed., p.45)  

Whatever form suffering takes and whomever struggles with it, a resignation to the reality of their suffering and an absolute dependence upon God’s redemptive spirit becomes the cornerstone of health and freedom.  The Psalmist summarizes what every man and woman of God experiences, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death alone, I fear no evil, for You are with me.” (“Psalm” 23)

Together, moral clarity and conviction serve as an anchor for the soul, keeping me from going adrift in stormy times.

“Actively identifying your core values, assessing the degree to which you are living by these values, and challenging yourself to adopt a higher standard can strengthen character and build resilience.” (Resilience, p.86)  Coping and conquering necessitate clarity of thought and a resolute, principled mindset.  Hyper-emotional states cloud cognition and impede addressing the problem at hand; lack of moral character reduces a person to the level of an animal seeking only to survive.  

An uninformed conscience and lack of moral clarity inhibit resilience.  Contrarily, I was raised to know the difference between good and evil and that an objectively right and wrong way to live exists.  Becoming a man meant being responsible and doing what I know is right.  In light of how I was raised I exhorted my sons from childhood on, “Be courageous; do what you know is right, no matter what the consequences.”

Knowing what I live for is worthless without conviction.  Together, moral clarity and conviction serve as an anchor for the soul, keeping me from going adrift in stormy times.  This moral courage, as Rushworth Kidder describes, “...serves as the backbone for all of the great virtues.”   Southwick and Charney “...found that many resilient individuals possessed a keen sense of right and wrong that strengthened them during periods of extreme stress.” (Resilience, p.85)  In the Nazi camps, Frankl observes, “If the man in the concentration camp did not struggle against this [dehumanization] in a last effort to save his self-respect, he lost the feeling of being an individual, a being with a mind, with inner freedom and personal value.” (Man’s Search for Meaning p. 49)  

Ancillary benefits ensue from strong moral convictions.  Those who endure trauma, who stay true to themselves, display superior ability to overcome the impact of their experiences and to cope with future stressors.  

“Optimism is a future-oriented attitude, a confidence that things will turn out well…and ignites resilience, providing energy to power the other resilience factors.”

“Optimism is a future-oriented attitude, a confidence that things will turn out well…and ignites resilience, providing energy to power the other resilience factors.” (Resilience, p. 35)   Interrelated with being spiritual, optimism flows from hope in one’s God, “...knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” (“Romans” 5)  

Essential to note, resilient optimism must be differentiated from blind optimism.  Resilient optimism deals with reality, that is , the truth of my situation.  Contrarily, blind optimism peddles in faulty expectations and magical thinking, entrapping the sufferer in a type of provisional existence without meaning or resolution, eventually sapping hope.  Frankl shares stories about how prisoners would dream when the war would soon be over and their suffering end, but in that imagined  moment, when their belief was dashed, lost all hope.  The only way through suffering necessitates staying alive and hopeful for someone or something other than oneself.

Courage entails identifying that of which I’m afraid and musters the inner strength to confront it.

In Freud’s theory, repression and avoidance lie at the heart of the human response to anything unpleasant, in particular, pain and suffering.  What is actually repressed or avoided is the truth of one’s situation.  The addict denies he has a problem rather than accept the truth; the narcissist distorts and inflates his importance rather than accept the truth; the anxious and fearful avoid or distort reality rather than confront the truth.  We repress the truth because we are afraid of the truth.  Courage entails identifying that of which I’m afraid and musters the inner strength to confront it.  “Fear is ubiquitous. No one escapes its grip. But what is the best way to deal with it? The bottom line: the best way around fear is through it. To conquer fear, one must face fear. That is what resilient people do.”  (Resilience, p.81)

A key factor in mustering inner courage involves focusing upon a higher goal or purpose.  “Special forces instructors teach soldiers to concentrate on goals and on the mission of the group, even when they are grappling with fear.”(Resilience, p.76)  In fact, experiences of courageous men and women actually embrace their fears.  “Special forces instructor Mark Hickey believes that fear is good because it keeps him on his toes and serves as a platform for developing courage, self-esteem, and a sense of mastery.” (Resilience., p.76)  

“It is not good for people to be alone.” (Torah)

A core, objective truth in the Torah reveals that It is not good for people to be alone.  In Man’s Search for Ultimate Meaning, Viktor Frankl observes, “Human existence—at least as long as it has not been neurotically distorted—is always directed to something, or someone, other than itself, be it a meaning to fulfill or another human being to encounter lovingly.” (p. 90)   Both convictions espouse two inviolable and abiding needs in human nature: not to be alone and to live purposefully.  No more compelling  demonstration of this prevailing human need exists than In times of stress and trauma, “Few things are more painful or more destructive to a person’s mental and physical well-being than isolation.” (Resilience, p. 139)  However, not just isolation from anything; the ultimate level of suffering entails isolation from others.  Knowing there are others who care and support me, strengthens me and cultivates the self-transcendent experience that I live for them.  When Vietnam POW James Stockdale was asked about how he survived the isolation, he extolled, “The man next door.  You are in short, your brother’s keeper.” (A Vietnam Experience, p.110) 

As a person discovers meaning in life, any level or type of meaning, the ability to cope is enhanced.

Viktor Frankl’s therapeutic approach, Logotherapy, is based on the perceptions that all life is meaningful, humans are driven to discover life’s meaning, and humans possess the freedom of will to pursue life’s meaning.  As a person discovers meaning in life, any level or type of meaning, the ability to cope is enhanced.  When an individual lacks purpose, engagement in life and level of resilience wanes.  Frankl often quotes Nietzsche:  “He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how.”   The Nazi camp prisoners who would “run into the [electrified] wires” rather than endure offer a stark reminder of the impact of loss of meaning.

On a lesser traumatic level, my involvement with the development of youth underscores the pursuit of purpose in life.  In short, all seek it; once discovered, a dramatic transformation of attitude occurs.  For example, a student who realizes an interest and passion in a particular subject or major becomes focused and disciplined.  Furthermore, his newfound purpose impacts positively all aspects of his life.

Two cautionary factors to purpose in life exist: purpose can be subjectified and it can be overlooked.  In the first instance, true purpose exists to be discovered, not fabricated from imagination.  As Frankl notes, meaning is not handed to us, nor do we create it.  We must search for it, in the concrete experiences of our daily lives.  The tell-tale evidence of true purpose lies in whether or not it ultimately benefits the lives of others.  In other words, true purpose in life develops personal responsibility which leads to self-transcendence.  In the second instance, true purpose in life can be ignored or overlooked, thus losing opportunities.  Virtually everyone deals with regret over not seizing upon a unique opportunity in life.

A Hierarchy of Resiliency 

Though resilience factors overlap and support each other, God animates all, without Whom the other factors ultimately become ineffectual.  God’s presence in life is ubiquitous and personal.  For me, one such God moment occurred on the morning of January 16th, 1990.  I had just spent the night with my dad in his hospital room.  He suffered with an aggressive cancer and, knowing that he was at death’s door, I slept on a cot next to his bed so that he would not die alone.  I was fortunate to be with him at the end.  He was a great husband, father, and grandpa and my sorrow weighed upon me.  Upon receiving the news, our priest came immediately, whereupon I told him, “I have no idea how anybody could bear the loss of a loved one without God.”  Simply put, a real, experiential relationship with God Who suffers with us vivifies all the other factors of resilience.  

The notion of the self-made man is delusional.  I cannot will myself to become moral, optimistic, or courageous.   These qualities ensue from a source greater than myself; from my relationship with God.  Moreover, the Ignatian mantra of “God in all things” resonates in the lives of thousands of students and clients with whom I have sojourned.  No psychoactive drug nor therapeutic technique exists that produces effective, enduring results in and of itself.  As theologian Martin Buber discovered, becoming whole and happy and resilient evolves from an “I and Thou”:  a personal, trusting, and supporting relationship with God and another.

References:

Alcoholics Anonymous (1976), 3rd Edition.

Frankl, V. E. (2006). Man's Search for Meaning [Kindle iOS version].

Frankl, V. E. (2014). The Will to Meaning: Foundations and Applications of Logotherapy [Kindle iOS version]. 

Frankl, V. E. (2018). Man's Search For Ultimate Meaning [Kindle iOS version].

Southwick, S. M., & Charney, D. S. (2018). Resilience: The Science of Mastering Life's Greatest Challenges [Kindle iOS version].

Stockdale, J. B. (2020). A Vietnam Experience: Ten Years of Reflection (Hoover Institution Press Publication) [Kindle iOS version].

All scripture references quoted from the New Oxford Annotated Bible (NRSV), 5th Edition