A couple months ago, I awoke to half my face drooping like someone turned off the switch on all my facial muscles. After a quick visit to the doctor, I received my diagnosis: Bell’s Palsy. Fortunately, with the help of some medicine and a few small changes in my habits (like drinking coffee through a straw and wearing an eyepatch), not much has changed in my life. My recovery was quick; a couple weeks passed, and the physical side effects of Bell’s Palsy had completely worn off. I really looked fine.
No, I Wasn’t Fine Yet
If you had asked me how I was doing during those days, I would have sincerely said I was fine. In the grand scheme of things, I was just okay. Even though people couldn’t notice, I hadn’t fully recovered yet. I didn’t exactly feel normal. My eye and my jaw didn’t feel quite right, my left ear was still hyper-sensitive to noise, and I could still feel a slight, dull ache around my left temple. Of course, none of this really impacted me in any significant way, but in complete honesty, though I looked alright, I was not completely “fine.”
Are We Fine?
During those days, it occurred to me that my physical condition was a great example of our lives. I am certain most of us go through life being “fine.” We may be dying on the inside, but we say we’re fine. Our marriage may be struggling, but we are fine. We may be fighting a losing battle against temptation, but we are fine. The truth is, we may look fine, sound fine, seem fine, and say we are fine, but we’re really not. We may fool others, and even try to fool ourselves, but surely we cannot fool our Heavenly Father.
So What?
I’m not suggesting we moan and groan about every detail of our lives to everyone we meet, or trust everyone with the intimate details of our lives that are personal and sensitive. However, there are a few steps we can take that will help us move forward when all is not “fine.”
- Recognize — Recognize that most days we’re really not alright, and we should stop pretending that we are.
- Admit — Admit what is not okay in our lives — first to ourselves, then to God.
- Ask for Help — Realize there are people who really care, can really be trusted, and may really be able to help us in some way.
Action Steps
Maybe the first step in reaching a point where we are actually fine is to admit perhaps we aren’t nearly as fine as we say we are, and seek healing from the One who came to make us whole. The Eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among us because we are not fine people. He suffered and died on a cross because we aren’t alright. Finally, He rose from the dead so when we are not okay, we find victory in Him who can make us whole again.
by Jimmy Aycock