Bounce

When most people step back and reflect on a series of weeks, months, or even years they typically see an up and down pattern. For a period of time it seems like we are up, things seem to be going our way, and overall we would classify that time in life as good. For other periods of time we may seem down, things don't seem to be going our way, and overall we would classify that time as bad. These highs and lows tend to be most expressed emotionally. While they can also have physically sign, even those tend to drive an emotional feeling. I like to call this bounce.

In this season of March Madness (college basketball) the simple physics of bouncing a basketball is probably the best example. It's pretty simple; the ball goes down, it bounces back up. Now repeat 371,000 times. No matter now many times the players bounce the ball it always comes back up. Where not surprised when the basketball hits the floor, nor are we surprised when it bounces back up. It's the key part of the process of playing, scoring, and winning.

Life is filled with bounce. Moments when life seems to be up and going great, others when it seems to be down and out. But these ups and downs are part of the process, part of our spiritual growth, part of the victory God has planned for us. The high's and low's are part of God's plan. We seem surprised by them; as though we weren't intended for the low moments. But if we really read God's Word we see almost every player in the stories experience bounce. Job had everything, lost everything, got everything back. Joseph was his father's favorite, then betrayed by his brothers into slavery, then make second in command in Egypt. Peter walked with Jesus, denied Jesus, walked with Jesus again. It's bounce.

In the downtime of the bounce, take that time to refresh, renew, and grow. Because the low is only for a moment, in just a few moments you will bounce back up by the grace of God and launch into a new moment or season of life. Embrace the bounce as part of the process that leads to victory.