The Nominee is…
YOUR BEST CHARACTER IS YOUR TRUE SELF
How are you?
AWESOME!
How are you?
AMAZING!
How are you?
BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE!
How are you?
I’M OK.
No, how are you…really?
Actually, I’ve seen better days.
FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT
Sometimes sight can be distorted. What happens when what’s said opposes what’s seen? What if I can’t believe my own eyes?
Once upon a time, a simple “How are you?” became my identity crisis. All smiles on the outside as I wore my mask of a blessed Christian life. I had the shirt, bible, and a smile. After all I know Jesus I should be living my best life, right?
“ I’M OK “
I’ve had to convince myself “I’m OK,” more than a fair share of my adult life. When my bills were late,
“I was OK”
When rent was due and I only had half of it,
“I was OK”
When an ex-cheated in our bed,
“I was OK”
When I slept about 3–4 hours a night for 5–6 days a week for a year so I could finish school,
“I was OK”
When I got in a car accident and couldn’t afford to call off work,
“I was OK”
When I was laughed at, and made fun of I was…
“OK”
When I’m stressed, sad, lost, and lonely I’m still…
“OK”
HOW ARE YOU REALLY?
Truth is I’m not always “OK.” Sometimes I’m bitter, anxious, angry, jealous, and lonely. Then there are times I’m happy, healthy, excited, energetic, and full of joy.
But it’s hard to see the difference. Sometimes my actions don’t speak louder than my words. Many of my gestures are automatic. They are like the blood that flows through my veins, or the oxygen I breathe. I don’t have to tell my body to do it, it just does.
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
My movements have been scripted in my day to day cinematic life. I smile my big Mickey Mouse grin, yet sometimes on the inside there’s a downpour of emotions fighting to stay hidden.
As the leading lady I captivate my audience with a persona of radiance, to make everyone else feel as if, “I’m OK.”
I say it. I smile as if it’s true. Allowing my face to render its fallacious role.
The more I portray this role, I even believe my Oscar worthy performance. In my Telenovela, “I’m OK, You’re OK, WE are all OK.”
HURRY HURRY…MAKEUP PLEASE
I’m not called for perfection. I couldn’t perform that well if I tried. So why can’t I just reveal, I’m not OK.
It’s tiresome rehearsing the same scene over and over and over again.
Our emotions are a lot like sin. God can’t help us heal from things we try to conceal. The devil will use those areas as his playground. To manipulate and control the narrative.
“If I decide to forget my complaints, to put away my sad face and be cheerful, I would still dread all the pain…” JOB 9:27–28 NLT
Reveal it so HE can heal it!
DIRECTOR…I NEED YOU
Instead of winning Emmys for my stellar performances of masking my true feelings. I think I’ll just be honest with myself and the director of my life, God. By allowing Him to help me and deal with the root of it.
So when I say I’m OK, and I’m NOT. I’ll own it, reveal it, get to the source, and pray about it. The problem isn’t me not being OK, because it’s all right not to be OK all the time, but…
we must bring what’s in the dark to the light in order to heal.
“You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.” Psalm 18:28 NLT
Let Him bring light to your darkness.
I won’t, with the Grace of God, allow the enemy to direct any motion pictures in my life.
It’s OK to admit you’re not OK. Just remember you’re not alone. God promises joy comes in the morning (Psalms 30:5).
We may not be OK right now, but we will be. 😊
God bless
