I’m Not Okay, But Jesus Is

As the Church, it can feel like we have to have it all together all of the time to avoid talking about where we are, where we’ve been, or what we’ve walked through. Our prayer is that this message is just the starting place for us to let go of those expectations and to be a church where we open up and ask Jesus to use our stories in order to shine His light into the darkness. If you are struggling with thoughts of taking your own life, please make the choice to stay and call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline @ 988

Mental Health, anxiety, depression, and suicide are not new issues for our society, but within the walls of the church, a new response is needed: one that recognizes the reality of circumstance and the pain associated with it in one hand and boldly proclaims that God is greater in the other. We don’t have to be okay all the time; Jesus is.

We are addicted to technology, and in a lot of ways, it’s causing a massive amount of harm. Anxiety, comparison, and bullying are driving a new generation into battles with depression at unprecedented rates. Almost all of us can attest that mental health struggles look as unique as we do, and because you can’t see them or touch them, it can be easy at times to grow frustrated when there’s no simple recourse, no easy way out. But this shouldn’t be a pass to throw up our hands and take a passive approach to the burden that so many are carrying day in and day out. As the Church, we will become more effective and more full of grace, mercy, and patience when we wake up to the power of the grip of darkness that people are struggling with in their lives.

Jesus is the light in the darkness. When you are alone, when you feel trapped, when you feel nothing at all, remember that there is an opportunity to step into the light and be with others who can walk with you, speak the truth to you, and help you believe in the victory you have in Jesus. You were never meant to walk through this valley on your own. Sometimes, it’ll just be having a friend who makes you laugh; sometimes, you’ll need someone to show up who has lived through it to tell you that life is worth living. It’s going to be okay. It’ll be bumpy, but you can endure by God’s grace. He is bigger than what you are facing. Depression is real, and it is a killer, but it is not bigger than Jesus.

The Church, your brothers and sisters, are here for you.