When you are emotionally broken there are 2 choices
Does it feel like your world is shaky today?
I wonder if you, like me, stared at the new year with a face with joy and hope.
And then something caused you to break.
It left us breathless. Vulnerable. Helpless.
It is hard to put on a smile, or even our clothes, to meet everyday life in those moments.
I just want you to know you are not alone today.
How do you fix emotionally broken?
There are 2 choices when you feel emotionally broken.
1. Drown in fear-anger-frustration-self pity-doubt (fill in the blank, right?)
OR
2. Choose to not let life keep you broken
Choice #1 gets us nowhere. It is a path that leads only to more brokenness. In other words, there is no chance of healing when we pick the first option.
Now, choice #2 is harder. We allow ourselves to absorb the shock, we pick ourselves up, and CHOOSE to move forward.
We can start with one small step. For me? It is gratitude. Listing things to be thankful for is a powerful weapon against troubles.
I am just feisty and defiant enough to look my problems in the face (after I crumble, that is okay to do you know. It is the staying crumbled that defeats us..) put my hands on my hip, and say,
“Oh YEAH trouble?”
The best weapon against emotionally broken living
My other tool, the most important thing I have? It’s faith. Let me share something with you…
I didn’t used to have faith. I chose #1 as my default. When I started learning about God’s promises I had NO clue what those crazy Bible words were talking about. Puh-lease.
Romans 5:3-5 “3We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to be patient. 4 And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady. 5 Then, when that happens, we are able to hold our heads high no matter what happens and know that all is well, for we know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Those crazy words? I can tell you with every ounce of certainty I possess—they are true. With every trial, I become more practiced at getting back up.
And even when I don’t want to get up, it is too ingrained in being now to stay flat.
I will stand. When I can’t, I trust Him to lift me up until I can.”
Healing emotional brokenness
Shattered pieces can be mended. With some patience and endurance, God can put them back together. We won’t look the same.
But we’ll shine in an unexpected way. Choice #2 leads to holding our heads up high and looking for unanticipated beauty.
I heard someone say recently, “Fear is necessary for courage to exist. If you have doubts, it’s not an affront to God! It is necessary for our faith to be exercised”.
Prayer for feeling emotionally broken
God, I am broken. It feels impossible to think that difficulties are good for us. Yet, if given the chance you have always proven that you can make all things good. Even those hard times. I see without those hard things my faith would never have grown.
I wouldn’t have known you keep your word in amazing and unimaginable ways. Keep me strong and steady today. Teach me to hold my head up high, and to gently rest it against you when I am weary.
Would you like to download a free printable of this prayer for emotional brokenness? Click here.
Resources for healing:
- Peace with the Psalms: 40 Readings to Relax Your Mind and Calm Your Heart
- Find Peace: A 40-day Devotional Journey For Moms
- Healing Every Day: A 90-Day Devotional Journey
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i ran across you blog post on pinterest- I live by the Oceans song- its my anthem, i have been struggling with taking the #1 path…. I’ve been struggling for a year. i am on the verge of moving on to #2 , i want to be there bc i am exhausted with being #1 thanks for posting this, i just read it for the 2nd time, it you think about it…pray for me
Rebekah, I will stop and pray for you right now! Thank you for joining me. Being on the verge of #2 IS a step, I understand the exhaustion. Girl, I really, really do. Today I pray for you to keep moving forward, that God will reveal how far you’ve come and you’ll be encouraged. Thank you for sharing!
2014 was a doozy of a year for me. Probably more pain than I could have even imagined this time 2 years ago. And the beginning days of 2015 are shaping up to potentially be more of the same. Our pastor this past weekend challenged us to ask God to stretch us, ruin us, and restore us. These have been my prayers this past week, and your words speak right into the heart of this same sentiment. Thanks for reminding me to not push away from God, but to fall into Him.
Your pastor sounds like someone who has been there, done that and come out stronger! I pray for you today too Chris. That God will remind you of wonderful surprises in the midst of those challenges. I know they are beyond difficult to bear at times. Love to you brother…
My beautiful friend, I love how you speak (write) truth. I choose #2. At least, I want to choose #2. Thanks for reminding me that it’s worth it, even when #1 feels easier and even sometimes better. Crazy how wallowing sometimes gets comfy for me.
Dear Brianna, wallowing is what is comfy for all of us at first. Maybe it is just time to pull up from the muck… I am rooting for you today
Enjoyable post!
Thank you Laura for reading 🙂
I have read many of your posts this morning, Christa. I’m so thankful that I am able to learn from you, my dear granddaughter, and not feel as though “I” need to have all the answers for your questions….God has blessed you well with his wisdom. I love you.
I love you too Grandma ♥
Oh my dear sister, in Christ, I believe we all have been broken. I guess one of the reasons is God can reach us there. And when He takes those shattered pieces and restores us into something HE can use for His Glory, well that is grounds for rejoicing in our griefs, chaos & brokenness. That is God’s awesome grace. Take a listen to Laura’s Song. I think you might enjoy it. God bless you dear, may you stay warm……it is tooooooo cold!!