Moving through the Fog - You Can’t Do a Swan Dive in Shallow Water (Part Deux)

Moving through the Fog - You Can’t Do a Swan Dive in Shallow Water (Part Deux)

ANALYZING THE SITUATION is our first step toward ensuring we don’t make the same mistake twice, but I think there’s another important step in applying the wisdom gained from a painful situation. Ask yourself:

What’s the lesson learned? There’s always a takeaway.

How am I better for the experience? There’s always growth of some kind.

How can I turn this disappointment into a springboard to greater accomplishments? Your losses will build character and provide meaningful lessons for your next endeavor.

To seriously analyze a situation, sometimes it helps to talk to an objective outsider—perhaps someone you know who has had a similar experience, or even a professional counselor. Friends or family may not be helpful; sometimes, they’re just too close to you or the situation. They’re likely either to be brutally honest with you and tick you off—resulting in no wisdom gained, only hurt feelings—or they will tell you what you want to hear, which is no help whatsoever.

An outsider might also be better equipped to challenge you to rise above the downfall; he or she won’t allow you to wallow in a pity puddle too long and will also help you put things into perspective so you can forgive yourself.

It’s during the rough times in life that we find out what we’re made of. Self-inflicted disappointments can be very ugly, but often you’ll come out on the other side a deeper, more interesting, more thoughtful, and more purposeful person.

Job stood up and tore his robe in grief. Then he shaved his head and fell to the ground to worship. He said, “I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The LORD gave me what I had, and the LORD has taken it away. Praise the name of the LORD!” In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God. (Job 1:20-22)

Girlfriends, you can’t do a swan dive in shallow water. It’s only when the water is very deep that your beautiful soul is truly revealed. Rejoice through the pain and allow God to turn your belly flop into something beautiful.