Battles And Front Lines Devotional By Rita SpringerChikamu

The Art of Being Okay

“If all I have is you, I’m okay.” 

When we hear terrible news about someone having to endure an unimaginable heartache, we often declare, “I have no idea how I would be okay after that.” For me, anything to do with the suffering or loss of a child brings that response. As a mother, I cannot imagine it, and yet close friends have faced that exact thing head on. They had to find the “I’m okay” in the middle of it. Every day, in and around our communities, people walk through diagnoses, challenges, surgeries, treatments, accidents, and yes, even death. Everyone wonders if those who suffer will come out on the other side “okay.”

Being okay doesn’t mean unscathed, unmarked, or undisturbed. It means that even while in the storm, the human heart is still pushing toward God as its source of security. Psalm 118 is one of my favorites because it shows an honest human cry while keeping God’s glory elevated amid it: “When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid” (Psalm 118:5–6). I believe this spacious place is the assurance that no matter what, there is a peace that defines us as “okay,” able to get up, move on, and proceed.

I have been through so many situations that have brought questions and trials. At times, I did not know if I would come out of the pain with the same faith I had going into it. Here is the solid truth: there is no situation so severe that God’s love cannot overcome and heal it. There is actual power when we surrender the outcome to God and worship Him. We stitch inside our hearts the ability to be okay. I am reminded of lyrics to a song I wrote after such heartbreak years ago. I was at the point where I knew I had to declare that if all I had left was God, I would be okay.

“You’re my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I’m the reason why, you hung the moon. If everything collides, it doesn’t matter. I’d do it all over again,

If all I had was you.”

Today, if you are not “okay” and you don’t know if you will ever be, I want to encourage you that God is your “okay.” God is big enough to heal you and bring you into a place where you find the strength to stand again. I promise, everything is going to be okay.