An Open Letter for Hurting Hearts

“With all the struggles and setbacks that I’ve been through in life, is it even possible for someone like me to make a comeback?”

This is a question that I’ve heard women ask over the past few weeks. Maybe it’s a question you’ve asked yourself — like I did when I was in my fifties and carrying so much hurt and discouragement that had accumulated over the years.

“Give Me a Break, God!”

When I looked at all the bad things that had happened, I could not help but come to the conclusion that I was unworthy of love even from myself — even from God. As a matter of fact, I took it that God was punishing me. I wanted to know when the punishment would end or what I could do to please Him. “Give me a break, God,” was my prayer.

I began to believe that I could love myself better than God could and that I could fix everything myself without His help. I was convinced He would not help me if even if I asked. So, I kept on boot-strapping my way through life trying to find ways to fix the broken pieces. I would have tried using hot glue or duct tape if I thought it would have worked.

End of the Road

In His wisdom, God allowed me to come to the end of myself. This is when I began to feel desperate. Desperate for God’s love, and desperate to heal the wounds in my soul. I wanted to lay down the heavy weight of the emotional burdens I had been carrying for so many years.

It was during this time that I picked up my Bible and began searching for the way back, in earnest. Through His Word, God began to whisper to my heart. I soon discovered that He was longing for me to return and wanted to reconnect with me as much as I wanted to reconnect with Him. He had been calling out to me the whole time. Through my pain, I could not or would not hear.

The fact is, I did not know how to come back. In addition to the pain, I was carrying so much shame. I did not know how to face God. So, I asked Him to show me the way. The first step was easier than I thought. All He wanted me to do was say, “Yes.”

After taking time to reason things out, I realized that there was nowhere else to turn because I had already exhausted every avenue of self-effort. God had blocked my path so that I would finally stop running from His love.

Finding the Way Back

Finally, I said, “yes,” and surrendered my heart. This is how and when my comeback journey began. In the process of coming back to God, I discovered my true self. I have been enjoying the experience of getting to know the authentic version of myself ever since. The true me is more fun and more inwardly beautiful than I ever imagined!

I won’t sugar-coat it by telling you that the process of surrender is easy. It’s not. A lot depended on how willing I was to lay down my stubbornness and pride — and how willing I was to forgive. But I quickly discovered that I was not alone. God was there with me, guiding me every step of the way through the Holy Spirit. All I had to do was to keep showing up, and keep saying “yes.” God proved Himself, and as He did, my trust in Him increased. My faith increased. I began to heal. I grew stronger and stronger.

It’s not that my circumstances immediately changed, but more that something inside me awakened. Parts of myself had withered and died, and God began restoring them to life. I was coming alive!

The Point of No Return

A comeback is not something that we initiate. God is the one who begins stirring our hearts. So, if you have been feeling that inner longing to return to Him, I can confirm — He is indeed reaching out to you!

Making a comeback is not about God taking you back to where you have been or to who you once were. It is about God revealing who you truly are by revealing who He truly is and how He truly loves you. It is a faith journey like no other because it cannot be manufactured, forced, or faked.

So, your faith journey is not about reaching a specific destination within a certain time frame. Instead, a comeback is a process of surrender.

So, going back to the question that so many women have been asking — and one that you might be asking, too. I can confidently say that even in the middle of all the pain you’re experiencing, you are uniquely and divinely positioned to make a comeback. God is extending an invitation. It is completely and entirely up to you to accept. All He is asking for is your YES.

With all my heart,

Susan “Honey” Williams