Not Okay? It’s Okay

Posted on by Jennifer Arimborgo

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“I cannot eat; I weep day and night.
All day long they say to me, ‘Where is your God?’” (Ps. 42:3, NET).

How are you feeling right now? Aren’t these strange times we are living through? Our entire world has changed drastically in just a few weeks. Our emotions can do funny things as we learn to navigate these brand new realities.

Holy Spirit has been giving me a lot of supernatural peace in the midst of it all. However, my soul has also had to battle through more difficult emotions. The other day, I was in tears thinking about the people in my city who don’t have enough to eat right now (so many Peruvians survive off of microenterprises that cannot function with everything shut down).

I just want to tell you today, if you are dealing with upset feelings, you are in good company. You, me, and the likes of King David, we all fit into this category: humans with human emotions. I love reading David’s honest expressions of anger, fear, confusion, and sadness. What comfort we can find in the Psalms of lament! What a poignant mixture of space to be vulnerable and vent… and truth to uplift our soul into God’s presence!

I have shared in previous posts about being a brilliant light and standing out in the darkness during this time of the coronavirus pandemic. I have encouraged us to let Holy Spirit’s unfailing, abundant springs of peace, joy, and hope flow through us to the that need it. However, we are not necessarily going to start out in that emotionally victorious place every single day. Some days are just plain harder than others. The Bible even has a term for this: “the evil day” (Eph. 6:13).

So, if you are struggling today, I just want you to know, that’s okay. There is space in God’s big, beautiful heart for your difficult emotions. Don’t bottle them up inside. Get alone with your Daddy, and pour out your heart to Him. He is an amazing listener. Make sure and use the eyes of your heart to look up and see Him listening to you attentively. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you as your confidant, the One who has deep compassion on your emotional difficulties.

Diving into Psalms might very well be a wonderful exercise for you during this season. Notice a theme coursing throughout this exquisite book, as you do so. David was so secure in his relationship with God that he felt completely liberty to be a hot mess in His presence. But he didn’t stay there. Having poured it all out, hiding nothing, he then would consistently begin to lift up his soul in praise and faith. Consider the movement from verse 3, above, to verse 5 in this compelling psalm:

“Why are you depressed, O my soul? Why are you upset? Wait for God! For I will again give thanks to my God for his saving intervention” (Ps. 42:5, NET).

Once you have spilled out to Him everything that had accumulated inside, I encourage you to follow David’s example. Make sure and move into that place of exalting God above your circumstances. He considers it such an honor to gently receive the intimate contents of your soul… and then to lift you up once again into His powerful assurance and peace. Lament and praise; what a powerful combination!

He will get you through this, deeply treasured child of God. Wrapped up together with the Lover of your soul, you will come out of this stronger than ever!

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Have you ever shared your confusion with God? Your anger? How did that feel?

 

22 thoughts on “Not Okay? It’s Okay”

  1. I am so thankful for the scripture, especially the Psalms. I am even more thankful for my Abba who’s big enough to handle all my gripes, my groaning, my laments, my frustrations, my anger…every part of my unkempt emotions. I find that each tine I feel confused and overwhelmed, journaling to Him makes all the difference in the world. In exchange I get peace, hope, clarity, answers, directions or simply the relief knowing my Daddy listened and He does care. My prayers for the Peruvians tonight. May they be satisfied by Abba, if even with manna from heaven 🙏🏽

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    1. I’m smiling, so grateful to Holy Spirit. Just a short while before reading this comment from you, I wrote the draft of the devo I’ll be posting on Monday, and in it I talked about manna from heaven! He is so good to me 🙂 By the way, you were in one of my dreams recently, Precious One. You were a symbol of Daddy God’s deep love for me. So thank you with all my heart for being a beautiful light in this world! Sending you waves of peace and joy and grace and love today!

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      1. Awwwwwwww!! Jennifer, you have no idea what your dream means to me! Hallelujah! Thank You Abba for remembering me and for definitely remembering Jennifer. We are so appreciative of You and all that You do in our lives. You are so so good Abba. I love love love you my big sister and I thank you for the tidal waves you’ve sent my way ❤️❤️❤️

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      2. A joyful chuckle bubbled up from my spirit, reading your words! I love love LOVE you back, little sis! Seriously so very much! You really are indescribably precious! I feel Jesus’ heart glowing with delight in you!

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      3. Giggles! Yesssssssssss!!! Abbas’s love for us is filled with effervescence. It is inexplicable to me right now. After all that jumping for joy, I’m sitting feeling so overwhelmed with His Shalom. Thank You Lord!! ❤️🙌🏽

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      6. (My response was slower than I would have preferred for such an absolutely precious pair of comments, but I was obeying Daddy and took a couple days off of getting on my blog.) Love and grace and peace and overflowing joy to you little sis!!

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      10. Jenn! Flows from my heart so easily. Lord, my heart is so overjoyed for my sister today. I feel to run and scream and shout aloud with my gratitude today. Hallelujah! Jenn, you can call me Dee. My loved ones do 🤗🤗

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      11. Yayyyy!!! What a joyful chuckle is bubbling up, reading this gift extended to me! You just absolutely made my evening! Seriously, the biggest radiant smile is lighting up my face. I just love you so much, Dee! A big, big hug!!

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  3. My heart is stirred with a new understanding of what is occurring in your part of the world. Nothing is as desperate as it sounds there but the truth of what you have written rings. May Abba bring forth His Comfort and Peace. The world indeed is shaking. I wonder if you believe in the Rapture. The time when God’s Holy People sanctified by His shed Blood are called forth from the world and taken home to be with Him before worse comes upon a sin-sick world?. We are supposed to live for Him expecting to live a long long time but I would like to hear your opinion. Keep looking upwards is the cry I am hearing from lots of places in the world. Blessings! One day at a time with His Strength and Peace. Love F. xxx

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    1. My beautiful sister, I most definitely believe in the rapture! Only God knows the timing of when He will come to take us home, but with all of my heart I look forward to being face to face with Him with every ounce of my being!

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