This is probably the most cliched phrase in the world for a person to hear, but no one can deny that is still an essential phrase. Especially for someone walking in the Christian faith. It's impossible to deny that every person, no matter your gender, your age or even how likable you are, it's impossible for a person not to go through any hardship.
People will hurt you, people will walk in and out of your life. And, even though no one should have to, even though no one wants to admit it, people you care about and love will die. The choice a person should make at that point is to let the grief overwhelm you and keep a person from growing, or decide to let the past remain in the past and move on.
There was a story I heard one time, and that story was actually the inspiration for a song that has the same name as the article I'm writing right now.
The story goes that a surgeon performed an open heart surgery, but when the team of doctors tried to get the heart going, the heart did not start on its own. Despite everything the doctors tried, the heart still would not start. Finally, the unnamed surgeon removed his mask and knelt down and said, "This is your surgeon. We've performed the operation perfectly, and the damage to your heart has been repaired. Now tell your heart to beat again." At that moment, the heart began to beat.
I think that story applies here. The patient is you, the surgeon is God. Life is hard, there is absolutely no way to deny that. There's been a lot of damage to a lot of people's hearts. But God has repaired the damage, but now it is our job to tell our hearts to beat again.
Whatever life has thrown at you, remember you aren't alone. The damage done to you by life, whatever it is, has been repaired. Now God is telling you, tell your heart to beat again.
If you feel alone and hopeless, hope again. If people gave you every reason in the world not to trust them, trust again. If you've lost all faith, believe again. If you're all out of love, love again. Whatever it is, the baggage of your past isn't yours to carry anymore.
