• Positivity!
• Be the Light!
• This too shall pass!
• Do not worry about tomorrow!
• Focus on your blessings!
• Be the energy you want to attract!

Most of us have heard all of these words and have probably spoken them to ourselves several times in our lives. All of these words I have spoke to myself when hard times come, have spoken them to others when they are struggling, and I probably have written them down as well in my journals. And a lot of times they have helped. They are all good truths that are good to put into action in life.

But what about those times when life feels just really hard and positive quotes don’t seem to help? When you go to God and still don’t feel peace?

It’s ok to not be ok. It’s ok to admit that you’re struggling. That it feels like too much. That you are having a hard time finding the positives when it feels like they are few and far between.

As a Christian I am supposed to be the light. And I try. But lately the little things keeps piling up like heavy sandbags by a shoreline and I’m left feeling like anything but light. Exhausted and stressed; overwhelmed and downcast.

And you know what? It’s ok.

Different seasons come and go in our life. Our family is walking through a hard season right now and it’s ok if I’m not ok. Maybe you are too? Being a Christian doesn’t keep me from hard circumstances nor hard feelings. Being a Christian does not keep me from struggling, crying tears of frustration or wondering what God is doing. And that does not mean I’m a failure or weak. Nor you. It simply means we’re human.

It’s ok if your batteries are run down and your flashlight projects a very dim light. It’s ok to admit that you are a Christian and are feeling lots of feelings and joy is not one of them.

During this hard season I will continue on, like you will as well. I know that things are going to get better… eventually. I know that rest, someday, will come. Joy is there even if I can’t find it right now. And that this too shall pass.

But today it’s ok to not be ok.