The Stockdale Paradox is a biblical approach to endurance. I’ve expounded on it in my book Hope in Transition. Right now I’ll give you the brief overview.
Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale was the highest-ranking naval officer held as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.
In a business book by James C. Collins called Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t
“I never lost faith in the end of the story, I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade.”
He went on to give what has become known as the Stockdale paradox:
“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”
This attitude is the Bible in action.
Whatever I go through…
- Will make me stronger
- Will make me more like Jesus
- Will work out for the good of those who have been called according to His purpose – and that includes me! (Romans 8:28)
He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (New International Version)
Endure. Stay strong. Don’t loose sight of the goal. Endure with hope. Endure with expectation. Endure as a solider. Endure with obedience.
Remember His Promises:
Isaiah 43:1-2 (New International Version)
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.Psalm 27:13-14 (New International Version)
As well as,
I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
As you wait on God, Fear God, Seek God, Do What is Right. Don’t allow discouragement to rise up in you. Don’t listen to the lies of the enemy. Agree with the good God has for you.
Be still and know He’s God.
Let me know if I can pray for you. If you can share it publicly, use the comments below.
God bless Mr Stockdale. Stuck in the midst of much discouragement at the moment with faith, relationship, professional failures and health issues all coming to a head.
The Stockdale Paradox and its Biblical basis gives me hope to keep on and never ever to quit.
So many churches seem to promote shiny happy candy coated versions of Christianity and then wonder why they lose people at the first hurdle.
Right now I am sweating and wiping off the blood and mucus from my face and God seems real distant. However I believe I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. I have seen a vision of how perfect a marriage can be and despite all the evidence to the contrary and many past heartbreaks, disappointments and failures in this area – I will hold onto this, because one day of the relationship that I saw in my vision is better than a lifetime of half baked lust.
Professionally too I taken a lot of setbacks. I missed out on an opportunity I had been working toward for years last year because of personal circumstances. Things looked pretty bad and I spent a few days in hospital and it all looked lost. However lately God has shown me that there is hope for the future in this area and an opportunity to do this again may arise next year, by which time I will be better trained and equipped for it. In another twist this would also involve me working alongside a group who I aspired to join many years ago. I trained hard to be part of this group but it didnt work out. Also the opportunity would involve working with another group who I wanted to join several years ago. Again I really wanted it but circumstances prevented it. So it looks like God may give me the chance to get involved in 3 things I really wanted to be involved with all at the same time. I hope to God this happens and that I complete the assignment succesfully. Then once this is done I would like to devote myself to working for God in the ministry or similar area.
I keep praying and believing that he will send the wife he showed me in my vision. Some people may think I’m nuts but what is more nuts to truly live from your heart or to deny your heart and settle for second best?
Yes, I’ve gone through a lot myself. I’ve learned to live unoffended at God. Need to run. Let’s keep in touch
Cool.
Guess that’s what I’m struggling to do right now – live unoffended at God.