It’s OK to Not Be OK (Part 1) - I Do Every Day - March 9

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It’s OK to Not Be OK (Part 1)
By Lisa Lakey

I was lunching with a friend just after my husband’s and my biggest fight to date. My head hurt. But my heart hurt worse. Yet here I was … faking smiles and laughter over sandwiches on a downtown patio.

But she knew.

“Is everything alright, Lisa?” I assured her it was.

“What about your hubby? Is he OK?”

“Yes,” I quickly responded. “He’s fine. I’m fine. Everything’s fine!”

But it wasn’t fine. As my friend (and perhaps those closest to us on the patio that day) soon realized.

I left out a good bit of the details (I’ll tell you why in tomorrow’s devo), but I did let her know we had argued and I was still feeling the sting of it. She didn’t pry, but she gave me the freedom to process.

I enjoyed the rest of my meal without fake smiles. And even though nothing was resolved between my husband and me in that moment, I didn’t feel quite so bogged down.

When we refuse to let anyone in on our pain, to admit things are not OK, we shoulder that burden alone. And it sits and festers.

I’m not saying air your dirty laundry all over town (and most definitely not on social media). But is there someone you trust enough to just not be OK with? Think about where your walls can come down, let in a little air maybe, and your shoulders don’t feel quite so heavy.

It’s Ok to not be OK. Just don’t do it alone.

Read more in, “Marriage Is Not an Island.”

The Good Stuff: The sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel. (Proverbs 27:9)

Action Points: Do you have a friend to turn to when life is less than OK? Pray for God to send you a trustworthy friend.

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