Week 36 Devo | WHAT IS TOUGHNESS

Steve Magness, a performance coach who was once the fastest distance runner in the country, says that athletes, coaches, and parents think that the way to develop discipline and toughness is to take what they think is the Navy SEALS approach, which is, 'Put people in some really difficult situations and then they'll get really tough,' but that's not really what the Navy SEALS do. Before they go out and do all the crazy stuff like survival training, Navy SEALS recruits sit in a classroom and have lecture after lecture and Powerpoint after Powerpoint learning how to mentally and physically handle every situation they will face. They even have to study a 600-page book that teaches mental toughness skills.

After they are taught the skills that they need to survive, they then practice those skills by being put in a place that simulates what they will feel like and experience so they can try those skills out to see if they are able to access those skills under pressure and duress. 

We don't create toughness by just grinding through things, by showing no pain, and by showing no signs of weakness. Even the best athletes in the world will tell you that even in the middle of great performances, they sometimes want to quit, that doubt circles their minds, and they have to constantly navigate this swirl of feelings, doubts, and urges to quit. This is normal because we are human beings.

We create toughness by learning the coping skills needed to handle tough situations, then we practice those skills over and over again. With each test, we get to learn more about toughness and what we need to do to manage our thoughts and actions in a tough way. Each test is an opportunity to learn, grow, and become tougher.

One of my favorite Bible stories is a story about doubt when faced with a storm. In Matthew 14, Jesus heard about the beheading of John the Baptist, and he went to a deserted place by Himself to be alone, but many people followed Him and Jesus had compassion for them and healed their sick. When it got late, Jesus took five loaves of bread and two fish, looked up to heaven, and blessed them. He and His disciples ended up feeding over 5,000 people with just those 5 loaves of bread and two fish before it got too late.

After feeding the people, Jesus went by himself to pray, leaving his disciples on a boat by themselves to cross back over to the other side of the lake. In the middle of the night, a storm came and the disciples were fighting the waves in the boat. Jesus went to them, walking on the water in the middle of the storm. When the disciples saw Him, they were terrified because they thought it was a ghost.

Jesus told them, "Don't be afraid. Take courage. I am here!" Then Peter called to Jesus and said, "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water. Jesus said to him, "Yes, come," and Peter walked on the water toward Jesus.

But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. Peter shouted, "Save me, Lord!" Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. Jesus said, "You have so little faith. Why did you doubt me?"

Doubt, fear, anxiety, and worry are natural, human feelings. We all feel them to some degree. One of the keys to being tough is to accept those feelings and not fight them. It is okay to feel unsure. The key is figuring out ways to maintain clarity when everything around you is pushing you towards chaos. When you are put in situations that require toughness, don't try to just bulldoze through; try to navigate them with grit and grace. Don't jump to the quickest, easiest solution, which in Paul's case, led him to start drowning. Focus on the end game. Focus on your goals, and who you want to become, and think about the thing that you can do right now. Focus on making and taking the next best step.

But most importantly, focus on Jesus. He came and experienced life on earth so that we can have a model of how we are supposed to live. When He died on the cross, He gave us all the gift of the Holy Spirit. That gift lives within us. If we focus on that, we will have the power to defeat doubt, fear, and anxiety.

There are a lot of reasons for us to quit, doubt ourselves, and give in, but have faith in yourself and faith in God. God has great plans for us all. His plans are to prosper us, and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

If we abide in Him, pray constantly, and strive each and every day to do the right thing, to be good people, and bless and serve others, our joy may be made full (John 15:11), and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6).

THIS WEEK

1 - When do you feel the most confidence?

2 - When is it hard for you to feel confident?

3 - When you feel fear, doubt, or worry, what are some of the things you do to overcome that?

4 - What is a Bible verse or story that you can use to overcome fear, doubt, and worry so that you can find and feel confident?

For a Google doc version of this devo, click here: What is Toughness