Bouncing Back

Ever have one of those days when everything seems to go wrong? Joe was about to have one. It all started when his alarm didn't go off at the usual 6:30 AM and he awoke to realize there were little more than 15 minutes to get to work! Frantically, Joe jumped out of bed, slipped on his un-ironed work clothes and mismatched socks. He was adjusting his tie on the way down the stairs, when he suddenly tripped over the dog's squeeze toy and tumbled to the bottom (no pun intended!) Stumbling into the car, Joe sped away--deliberately running not one, not two, but three red lights along the way. He almost got away with it, too, but the flashing lights in his rear view mirror said this was not going to be one of his better days. By the time he said goodbye to the officer and arrived at work, his usual parking spot was taken and he decided to park in the handicapped spot until another became free. Joe sheepishly shuffled into the office, hoping not to be noticed by anyone. Wishful thinking! His red-faced boss was there to greet him on the spot. "Joe, I can't afford to have you be late one more day. You're FIRED!" Within the space of just one hour, Joe's life had changed completely. And yes, to add insult to injury, Joe did get his car towed away, too!

Situations like this are the favorite subjects of the Sunday comics, sitcoms, and movies. We laugh because bad days like these come uncomfortably close to reality. Sometimes life hits us on the blindside and we're left sitting with our head spinning, wondering if things will ever be the same again.

If you have ever been let down by someone you love...
...if your doctor has ever delivered bad news about your health...
...if you have lost a family member to an untimely death...
...if you made an awful mistake leading to a professional or moral failure...
...then you might doubt that you can ever rebound from the sting of the hurt and shame.

Some people live in the constant shadow of disappointment. It's like a thick, black cloud that follows them around wherever they go. That one moment comes to define the rest of their lives. But does God want us to let bitterness, hurt, and regret steal away our happiness? Not in a million years! Jesus declares, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Isn't that wonderful? You don't have to become a victim of your circumstances. You can bounce back.

But how? Start by embracing the great truth of Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." We're not talking about inspirational hype from a motivational speaker here. These words come from a man who had been through the unthinkable:

"...troubles, hardships, and distresses..."
"...beatings, imprisonments, and riots..."
"...work to exhaustion, sleepless nights, and hunger..." (2 Corinthians 6:4-5).

No one could accuse Paul of having an posh, cozy life! Yet, listen to his perspective:

God's power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us.....We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, yet we have everything" (2 Corinthians 6:7-10, NLT).

Paul new the secret to bouncing back--a firm, tenacious trust in God through thick and thin. There were moments when it must have seemed like he had lost everything--yet Paul knew that he really had it all. As 1 John 5:4 puts it, "This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith." God has a way of turning let-downs into a stepping stones. He can reshape our scars into marks of character. Someone has written:

"Failure is not failing to reaching your dreams. Failure is not having a dream.
"Failure is not setting a goal and missing it. Failure is not having a goal.
"Failure is not falling down. Failure is refusing to get back up."

This week, refuse to let hurt, hatred, or hardship keep you down. Stop walking around with the weight of the world on your shoulders. Transfer those burdens--burdens you were never meant to bear alone--to the Almighty God. Take life one step of faith at a time. Then, and only then, will you experience the freedom and joy of bouncing back.

-William ("Billy") Sherman-