How to Push Through the Pain of a Broken Heart

I remember being sixteen years old watching Michael Jordan play the game of his life, sick. It was a very important game in 1997 NBA finals. The series was tied 2-2 and everyone knew that was no way the Bulls could win without Michael Jordan. I remember thinking he has high tolerance for pain or his determination out weighs his pain.
I was looking at the Nashville Predators play in the finals of the NHL and they took some hard hits but I watched how they endured. They kept playing the game like nothing happened. After one fight from the opposing team, I saw one of the players on the Predators skate slow but then less than a minute later he was right back in it.
What makes athletes push themselves pass pain to reach their goal. I started thinking what if we used those same principles when we suffer from pain of a broken heart. Emotional pain is just as real a physical pain and just like physical pain it can be healed. Just like physical pain, it can be pushed through.

How can you push through emotional pain like physical pain?

1. DON'T DWELL ON IT. As the saying goes, mind over muscle. Many athletes who play hurt say they focus on the prize of winning rather than the injury. This is a powerful tool. They will their minds to not focus on the pain. This takes practice, because the pain will fight to be louder than the victory. The mind has the power to fight back if you will it. Disclaimer: when healing from emotional pain don't focus on another negative, like drinking or over eating. Get involved in something positive like volunteering your time, reading more books and getting close to God.

2. KNOW IT WILL PASS. This goes back to the mind but this time requires to not ignore the pain but look past it. This heart break is temporary, if you let it be temporary. When a person focuses on the fact that this is hurt is not forever, it helps to ease the pain.

3. DO IT HURT. Some people have a tendency to shut down when their heart gets broken.
 They tend to slack of on their jobs, family and friends because they stop functioning. This actually makes the broken heart worse because if the job is lost, the person will forever be reminded this happened due to the hurt. Live life hurt because it will pass, which goes back to #2.

4. BELIEVE. Know that God wants you healed and receive His healing. Don't forget God wants doesn't just heal physically but also emotionally. The Bible says "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." God doesn't go back on His word. Focus on this scripture whenever the hurt from a broken heart tries to attack your emotions. Say it out loud that you are healed and the hurt the person caused you no longer has power over you.