It Is Okay To Tell God That You Are Not Okay

This has really been on my mind for a long time. A while back a friend asked if it is okay for a Christian to complain and not to always have what she called “the Christian answer”. It was such a sober question for me because one of the principles in any relationship – is honesty. Having a relationship with God and then lying to Him about how we really are – does us no good, especially given that He is God so He already knows how we feel!

I have personally heard so many people in church, and even during normal conversations – give the “Christian answer” when things are not okay! This makes other people have false hope, and a false idea of being a Christian. One of the things that drew me to having a relationship with God is seeing how my mother related and still relates with God (And I admired, and still admire, that about her)… About a week ago I was complaining to my small sister about something, and she told me it is okay to feel disappointed. And that really touched me, because I realized that I kept finding a way to encourage myself and try seeing well out of that situation – when in fact I felt disappointed. So before I went to bed that night I told God about how disappointed I was.

It is okay to tell God that you are not okay, and it is okay to let people know if you are in that headspace – it does not make you less of a Christian, if anything it makes you a real Christian. In 2^nd Corinthians 12:9 Paul says “….So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me” (NLT).  Allowing ourselves to feel a certain way, more often than not then allows for God’s glory to be seen! I have been in situations where I thought there was no hope left – and God has literally lifted me through those situations, not because I went to Him and told Him how good He is, or praised Him for the situation – but because I asked Him where He was, I told Him that I needed Him to show up because I had lost hope. There is nothing like a “Christian answer”, think about all the questions that people asked Jesus in the Bible – He didn’t love them less, in fact He took time to answer them and show them the light.

One day when I was reading the verse Luke 22:42, I saw an image of Jesus that I had never been taught before. I saw a Jesus who allowed Himself to feel and tell His father what He was feeling. Did God love Him any less? Not at all! Do we believe in Him any less because He asked that question? For me, I am thankful for the vulnerability and the reality check that it is okay to tell God that you are not okay.

How can I do this you might ask? It is simple, be you. Like my small sister said, allow yourself to feel what you are feeling, then talk to God about it. In my prayer series (I will post the last posts over the next few weeks) I write about how prayer is conversation with God – take it to the Lord in prayer. Talk to Him, let Him know what you need, let Him know how you feel, it will not make you less of a Christian… it will make a real Christian.

Thanks for reading!