| How's Life? It Sucks! - by Joel Hempel
How are you feeling? Terrible! Are you okay? Not really! How’s it going? It couldn’t be worse! Other than with your spouse – if you have one – we seldom hear this kind of response to friendly greetings. That’s unfortunate. Because when we’re hurting, we don’t receive the love and support all of us need. But because it takes a great deal of courage to become that exposed, and because we know not everyone is prepared to hear the truth or respond with empathy, we hold back, swallow the pain, and default with a smile and “Great!” or “Fine!” or “I’m okay! How about you?” On Sunday, Pastor Scott encouraged greater vulnerability within the congregation. What if we could let ourselves be the way we feel? What if you didn’t have to display a smile if you felt like crying or did not have the energy to look happy? What if we didn’t have to feel ashamed to be honest and admit we don’t have it all together? Being open with each other is not only emotionally healthy, it’s God-pleasing. For example, we are encouraged to confess our sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed (James 5:16). That’s a challenging verse to wrap our minds around. Talking about our shortcomings and indiscretions takes an incredible amount of honesty and trust. But there is great reward in receiving acceptance and the assurance of God’s forgiveness from our brothers and sisters in Christ. Openness is not something that comes naturally to most of us. We probably started our resistance to openness when we were two years old, and our moms tried to feed us smushed peas and said, “Open!” We spit the peas out then and are equally reluctant now to be the beneficiaries of this incredible verve: Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). Are you carrying a burden on your shoulders alone? You don’t have to. Are you holding something in that is eating away at you? You don’t have to. You have sisters and brothers who love you. Are you worrying about something weighing you down or agonizing over a spiritual concern in search of a resolution? There are people you know who would be honored to sit with you, listen with compassion, and respond without judgment. Being open with each other is not like going to a professional counselor. We will make mistakes as we learn how to be most helpful to one another. But here’s the thing. With whomever you choose to share your story, you will be talking with someone who is much like you, someone who has their own story about failure, personal struggles, and challenges they can’t handle alone. What do you think? I know there’s a risk, but isn’t it worth it? You certainly are! | 
