You will laugh again, love again, and your heart will ‘beat again’

In 2014, American singer, Danny Gokey recorded a song called, “Tell Your Heart to Beat Again,” as part of his second studio album. It is a powerful song about getting yourself back up again, when your heart feels like it has been crushed down. And as the song lyrics read:

“Tell your heart to beat again

Close your eyes and breathe it in Let the shadows fall away Step into the light of grace Yesterday’s a closing door But you don’t live there anymore

So say goodbye to where you’ve been

And tell your heart to beat again.”

Do you have a wounded or broken heart? Or are fears, a challenge or a past mistake blocking you from happiness and doing all that you could be doing for God?

Yet, God is gently whispering to you today, “Tell your heart to beat again”…

There’s more ahead than what is behind you. Thus, whatever you may be confronting, regardless of what situations have come and have tried to break your spirit, you can regain your life and be happy again. Don’t live haunted by regret. Nothing you are facing is too much for you and God to handle. So stop thinking about what ‘might have been.’ Release the disappointments. Let go of what didn’t work out. And with sincere earnestness, reach forth to what ‘can be’ and ‘will be.’ God has new beginnings after hurtful endings.

A while ago, I received a letter from a reader who explained that after almost 25 years of marriage, her husband left her for someone else. She was blindsided and devastated. “How am I going to make it through this traumatizing situation?” she questioned. Though, with faith in God, the woman found the strength to carry on.

She could have thought her best days were over, but God had other plans. Quite coincidentally, a former high school classmate began going to her church. His wife had left him for someone else as well. And soon, the pair found hope and healing together. The woman told that they fell in love and before long, were married. Now, ten years later, they are more in love than ever. “God is a God of second chances,” she wrote.

Keep in mind that, like this reader, the situation that you have faced, or will face, has not canceled out God’s wonderful plan for your future. Although terribly difficult, something constructive can be born out of adversity. Who you’ve become in the process of living your life is of the utmost importance. The character you have acquired, the lessons you’ve learned, the people you have positively influenced and the heart of compassion you have gained, you’ll carry with you for a lifetime.

So continue to hold yourself to the highest standard. Be good to people. Always do what is right, take the high road and walk upright. Live with a commitment to excellence. God has seen every injustice. He will repair your broken heart, and rest assured, He will “restore double to you.” (Zechariah 9:12). For soon God is going launch you into something far greater. You’ll have joy. You will have peace. You will have strength. You’ll have new love. And you’ll have victory.

At the end of the year at my daughter’s school, the class had to take some tests. But rather than taking the tests on just one day, the class took the test on two days. Therefore, if a mistake was made on the first day, the students have a second chance. Likewise, let today be your second chance.

In the Bible, it illustrates a story about ‘the man with the withered hand.’ Jesus had just entered the city of Capernaum. It was the Sabbath, and many people where gathered about to see the arrival of Jesus.

Afterward, Jesus visited the synagogue to teach. In the synagogue, there was a man whose right hand was withered, shriveled and paralyzed.

The man might have been a stone mason. But because of this limitation, his unusable hand would have had a big effect on how the man could work and earn a living. His potential was di

minished. And without his right hand, the man might have had to spend the rest of his life as a beggar.

The city people were all standing around staring at Jesus and possibly wondering, “What will He do?” Jesus looked at the people there in the synagogue. For He knew their thoughts.

Experiencing various emotions, Jesus felt compassion for the man with the withered hand. So He called him over to Him. And Jesus told the man to, “rise up and stand forth.” With obedience and faith, the man with the withered hand went to Jesus. He did as Jesus requested.

Then Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. (Luke 6: 6-11).

A mighty miracle took place. The healing was immediate, and it was final. The man had a new beginning.

“And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. . .Then says He to the man,

Stretch forth your hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.” (Matthew 12:10, 13). There is a new beginning coming your way. Focus on the wonderful things that are going to happen for you. Visualize new dreams and goals coming to pass and expect positive results. Push all the negativity out of your mind and refuse to be pulled down any longer by the adverse circumstances of the past. As the perennial flowers in our gardens rise up each spring and start fresh and new, you, too, can arise and begin again.

Perhaps today God is speaking to someone reading this column. If it’s you, allow your heart to ‘beat again.’ There are new dreams, new joys and new blessings ahead for you.