It's Okay to Not Be Okay

First of all, breathe. You don't have to pretend to God that you're whole when you're falling apart. Anxiety often grows because you demand of yourself to be okay all the time — a good mother, a good spouse, a good daughter, a good Christian, good at everything. But God doesn't call you near demanding that you arrive put together. He calls you exactly as you are today: exhausted, afraid, with your mind racing. The first step toward peace isn't solving what's tightening your chest; it's ceasing to pretend it isn't tight at all. When you draw near to God just as you are, He draws near to you. There is no waiting room in His heart, no entry requirement. Today, don't try to fix anything on your own. Just come closer. Tell Him, in simple words, how you really are. That's how peace begins: in truth, not in appearances.