Bounce Back When Your Heart is Empty

You can do this!

Face the Trouble Behind the Smile: “I look into the beautiful faces of literally thousands of women every year,” writes Julie Clinton. “The vast majority of them have a desire to be women of faith, with spiritual depth and vibrancy. Even so, just behind their smiles and warm greetings, I often see a depth of pain and longing that is immense and persistent. In their eyes I see hurt. Anger. Sadness. Discouragement. Hopelessness. Desperation. My overarching word to you today is this: hope. God does love you. He does want a better life for you. And He does have a way for you to move from where you are, to the better life of your future. You can bounce back.”

^{Photos provided by Worthy Publishing}

You can do this!

You are in charge of Three Main Decisions: “There are three main decisions that are totally within your ability to make and then act on,” writes Clinton in Bounce Back. “First is the decision to breathe. Just as He created us to breathe physically, God calls us to breathe on the inside of our being – emotionally and spiritually. There are two main principles to consider here: First, you must exhale before you can inhale. Second, you must have a distinct separation between ‘letting go’ and ‘taking on.’ We need to shed the old hurt so we are ready to take on a new joy. The second decision is to believe. If what you believe doesn’t line up with God’s Word…go with the Word of God! Third is the decision to bounce back. “Bouncing back is active. Intentional. Behavioral. The bounce-back process proclaims, ‘I can…with God’s help!’ Bouncing back emotionally and spiritually is all about purpose and progress. Three steps forward and two steps back is progress. Be realistic.”

You can do this!

Reclaim Your Lost Time and Opportunity: “If you are feeling rejected today,” writes Clinton in Bounce Back, “recognize that your rejection is at the hands of a human being. God has not rejected you! You are still His beloved daughter and He has many acts of favor to bestow on you. Fully involve yourself with the people and opportunities God is giving to you now, and move forward. Don’t dwell on what might have been or what you wish would be. As one woman once said, ‘I chose to burrow into God.’ Spend more time with the Lord and in His Word. See the Lord as the primary source of love in your life. His presence is not just for today and for tomorrow – it is everlasting. Just say no to hate, resentment, bitterness, and anger. These emotions do not produce anything positive in a person’s life, not now and not in the future.”

You can do this!

Overcome Your Exhaustion and Stress: “Stress drains us as few things can. Stress is not only depleting. It is painful” writes Clinton in Bounce Back. “There is a literal ache that comes with exhaustion that is not resolved…The cure for stress is not all that complicated. A person generally has to do one of these things: Remove something from life’s agenda. Remove a responsibility from life’s demands. Decide that perfection is not possible, completion is admirable, and self-forgiveness is required. Your schedule is always subject, to a great degree, to your choices, and that even if you say no to an activity or membership today, you may want to or be able to say yes to participating in the future.”

You can do this!

A Positive Upward Spiral: “The good news is that there is an upward sequence that is more powerful than the downward spiral to depression. First, we can defeat frustration be reminding ourselves daily that God loves us, and He has promised to turn all things to our good in His timing and by His methods. We can remain faithful even if life’s circumstances are stacking up against us. We must bring these thoughts to our own minds, and the best way I know is to memorize verses of Scripture and recite them to ourselves. Second, we can adopt a discipline of voicing our gratitude and praise to God. Give thanks to God for what He has done, is doing, and has promised to do – which is what He will do.”

You can do this!

Cure Your Loneliness by Adding Love: “God may allow us to go into seclusion for a time, but that time is never expected to be permanent. God desires for us to be in fellowship with others, and that fellowship is to include agreement about our deep values and beliefs as followers of Christ. The Bible tells us that even those who are single are ‘set’ in families by the Lord – He provides others to love us and for us to love (Psalm 68:6). God desires that we open ourselves up to the possibility He has sent or is sending us people to love that we are not presently loving. Let me assure you that even if you are lonely and feel that you are in need of love…you have love to give."