Real Talk

Most days, I’m flowing with optimism. Even when things aren’t going quite the way I’d like, I am able to still flow with the joy of the Lord. But then there are some days when that joy doesn’t seem to reach me. There are days when the light doesn’t seem to come in. When holding on seems impossible. Days when I can’t seem to get it right. There are times when I’m overwhelmed, stressed, tired, depressed, frustrated and just plain hurting. Today is one of those days. I don’t write this for sympathy or for people to call me out of concern or curiosity. I write this to share, to encourage others and let people know this truth:

Christianity is not just walking through a field of tulips, singing and laughing. Sometimes those tulips die and their petals fall to the ground like the tears on your face. Sometimes we are often hurt and disappointed or we hurt and disappoint others. Sometimes we cry while we pray. Sometimes we stand in darkness, praying for the light to come in to illuminate our path again. Sometimes the profane words in our heads come out of our mouths. Sometimes we stand in complete hopelessness and keep telling ourselves over and over “if I can just make it through today, tomorrow will be better and the day after that.”



On days like these, I know I’m walking by faith and not by sight (2 Cor 5:7, Heb 11:1). You can’t see it. You have no tangible proof it exists or that it will ever happen for you. But your hope is often times all you have. Sometimes that has to be enough. God will handle the rest. That’s real talk.