Okay To Not Be Okay
Philippians 4:6–7 — Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
There’s something different happening in the way people talk about what’s going on inside them.
They are actually talking about mental health. I don’t remember this happening in my entire life, and I’m going to be 55 this year. People are talking about anxiety, burnout, and feeling overwhelmed by everything happening in the world. They’re admitting when they’re not okay.
And honestly, I think that’s a really good thing.
Because pretending everything is fine when it isn’t doesn’t make the weight disappear. It just makes you carry it quietly.
And that’s one of the things I love about faith. The Bible has never pretended people are okay when they aren’t. David wrote when he was overwhelmed. Elijah told God he was exhausted and ready to quit.
And God didn’t shame them for feeling that way. He met them there.
Maybe that’s where you are today.
Maybe nobody looking at you would know it. You’re getting through the day. You’re answering the messages. You’re doing your job and taking care of everybody else, but inside, your mind is racing because you’re carrying more than you were ever meant to carry.
In many ways, that’s what Paul in the Bible was speaking about when he tells us not to be consumed by anxiety, but to bring everything to God. Then he describes something beautiful: when we do, God’s peace stands guard over our hearts and minds.
It’s not because every circumstance suddenly changes. It’s because we’re no longer facing those circumstances alone.
So, if today feels heavy, don’t pretend it doesn’t. Bring it to God… all the worry, the exhaustion, and the things you don’t know how to say out loud. Remember friend, you may still be walking through something, but you don’t have to carry it by yourself.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
- What is weighing most heavily on your heart or mind right now? Have you been carrying it quietly instead of bringing it to God?
- What worry do you need to turn into a prayer today? Be specific with God about what you need.
- Are you trying to handle something on your own that God is inviting you to surrender to Him?
- What does “pray about everything” look like in your life right now? Is there something you’ve been hesitant to bring to God?
- Think about a time when God met you in a difficult season. What do you remember about His presence, even if your circumstances didn’t immediately change?
- Philippians 4:6–7 connects prayer, thanksgiving, and peace. What is one thing you can thank God for today, even in the middle of what feels difficult?
- What would it look like for you to trust God with what you cannot control today?
