Here's just a little reminder that it's ok to NOT be ok!!
True, life is full of mountain-top moments that we revel in, thank God for, and celebrate like crazy!! But there are also very real valley moments that we have to walk through. Times when you are broken, hurting, and have nothing left to give. Times when your struggles with anxiety, depression, insomnia, infertility, insecurities, and fears weigh on you so heavily you can do little more than simply survive the day.
We all know how to celebrate on the mountain top but how do we traverse those valleys?
As opposed to popular opinion, DON'T fake it til you make it! Allow yourself to feel and process ALL of the emotions and ask God ALL the questions! (Even Jesus did - Matthew 36:28-29 & Mark 15:34b) And after you're done doing all the talking....stop, quiet your heart, and take time to listen to Him as He speaks over you peace, comfort, and strength.
DON'T journey through the valley alone! Reach out to your friends for prayer and even seek out wise counsel through the help of a Christian Counselor. I love how Leslie “Les” Brown puts it, “Ask for help not because you're weak, but because you want to remain strong."
Walk out the journey through the Valley with the Lord and the support of others but DON'T build your house there! Feel all the feels. Process all the emotions. But don't stake claim to them and build a homestead around them! Psalm 23 states "...though I walk THROUGH the Valley of the shadow of death...". It doesn't say we should live there! So you just keep on walking - you just keep on praying those honest prayers - you just keep on meeting with that counselor, reaching out to those friends, and leaning into the promises of God. Because one day you are going to step out of that valley and onto that mountain top and goodness what a day of rejoicing that will be.
"O soul are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see
But just one look at the Savior
Is life more abundant and free
So just look up, your help is on the way
Turn, turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full, look full in His wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
When you turn, turn your eyes, upon Him."
Turn Your Eyes (The Belonging Company)