I'm FineNäide

How are you? Often we are asked this question and we may give a simple answer like “I’m good,” “I’m alright,” or “I’m fine.” Even when a person close to you asks how you’re doing, you probably still respond with a simple “I’m fine” answer because you don’t feel like getting into what’s really bothering you or what’s really going on in your life. You don’t want to burden anyone or inconvenience the person asking by sharing the truth that you aren’t actually doing well. You would rather suffer silently than talk to someone else about the depression that’s been creeping in the past few weeks or the anxiety that has been reigning over your life for the past year. Does this sound familiar to you? If it does, you aren’t alone.

Did you know there were people in the Bible that had seasons of depression, anxiety, and loneliness? Even Jesus, the Son of God who never sinned, felt sorrow and sadness. After all, in Isaiah 53 Jesus was given the name “Man of Sorrows” and described as, “acquainted with grief” (Is. 53:3). David is another example of a person who experienced loneliness and anxiety. He was known as “the man after God’s own heart” yet throughout the Psalms you will find several prayers of lament and desperation that David brought before the Lord. Lamentations is a book of the Bible that is full of prayers and sadness and suffering brought before the Lord. These feelings have been seen throughout the entire Bible, so why are we so shocked, secretive, and ashamed by them?

Throughout this study, we will be digging deeper by studying those who had sorrow but didn’t hide it and found peace and restoration by sharing these feelings with the Lord instead of trying to deal with them on their own. The most important thing to remember and know is that we cannot go through anxiety, depression, or sorrow alone. We must first present these emotions to God through prayer and studying His Word, then find a community of friends who are rooted in Christ that we can also talk through our emotions with. Emotions are normal, just because what you’re feeling might not be good does not mean something is wrong with you. This week, take time to reflect on how you’re really doing and bring those feelings to the Lord.

Question to consider: How have you really been feeling lately? Take time to slow down and reflect on your thoughts and feelings recently, how can you share that with the Lord through prayer?