It's okay when you're not okay
Inspired by Kevin Love and Auntie Ellen
Click here for Kevin's article
I was going through facebook and I ran into an article by Kevin Love on his battle with anxiety. It's very seldom to see big names open up about their personal struggles, but in this article, Kevin was quite raw. I personally haven't gone through depression or had an anxiety attack, but I have had experiences with anxiety robbing countless minutes from my day. So maybe you're going through something and you find it difficult to accept that you may not be doing okay mentally. Well, this devotional is for you.
1) To Seek Does Not Mean You're Weak
I feel in the Indonesian culture, it is often shown as a sign of weakness to express your feelings and struggles to another individual. Quotes such as man up and get over it, are quite common. However, as God has been touching my heart, I've learned to trust my parents and other close individuals with the things that may burden me. The main point that Kevin is trying to get out is that we as individuals need people. Seeking others out is not a sign of weakness. If anything, unwillingness to seek others out is more of a sign of pride, due to one's unwillingness to be vulnerable. Pride has to be the biggest thing that keeps individuals from recovering when they are not mentally healthy because it keeps them from seeking help.
I am grateful to have mentors in my life who are more than willing to help me in my struggles. If you don't have those people in your life, I suggest you pray and keep your eyes open for them. Because we all need someone to be able to lean on.
2) It's Okay When You're Not Okay
When someone gets caught up in this dilemma of not being okay mentally, they are unwilling to accept the fact. They try to affirm themselves and pretend as if everything is okay, when in reality it is not. If ever you find yourself in that situation, it's okay to accept the fact that you're not okay. A willingness to accept your lack of being okay, allows you to be more susceptible to God remaking something that is broken. There have been times in which I've had to take time out of my day to pray, and plead with God because I wasn't doing alright in that moment.
If you look at the story of Elijah, it seems that he also went through a phase of depression. As soon as Elijah got word that Jezebel wanted him dead, he ran away and cried out to God that it is better for him to die (1 Kings 19:4). We're talking about a prophet that was eventually translated to never see death. I'm not trying to say that it is ideal for us to experience mental and emotional challenges, but it does happen. And when it happens, it's okay to cry out to God and let him know that you're not okay. In fact this is how God feels towards you in these moments:
" Do not worry. Jesus loves you, and now when you are weak and suffering, He holds you in His arms, just as a loving father holds a little child. Trust in Him in whom you have believed. Has He not loved and cared for you all through your lifetime? Just rest in the precious promises given you."
My appeal is simple. I don't know what you're going through. Maybe you're doing great, or maybe you're struggling with depression or anxiety. In the end of the day, you are loved. All you are called to do is to trust and rest in the precious promises of Jesus.
Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy ladened and I will give you rest
Matthew 11:28
