Acts: Life On Mission – Week 6 – It’s Okay to Not Be Okay

It’s Okay to Not Be Okay

In Week 6 of our Acts: Life on Mission series, we delve into the power of vulnerability and authenticity in our journey with God. This message, “It’s Okay to Not Be Okay,” explores the story from Acts 3, where Peter and John encounter a man who has been paralyzed from birth. This moment serves as a profound example of the role God’s presence plays in our lives when we acknowledge our weaknesses and invite His healing power.

The Setting: Peter, John, and a Paralyzed Man at the Temple

Acts 3:1-10 describes how Peter and John encounter a man who has spent his life begging at the Temple’s gate. When he asks them for money, Peter’s response is unexpected and powerful: “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3:6, NIV). At that moment, the man’s healing is not just physical; it’s a radical spiritual transformation that begins with his acknowledgment of his own need and God’s provision.

This story serves as a reminder for us today. Just as the man at the gate had to “look up” to receive help, we, too, are invited to lift our eyes and acknowledge our struggles. Real transformation, both for the paralyzed man and for us, starts when we can admit we’re not okay and that we need God’s intervention.

The Power of Facing Our Struggles

In life, we’re often taught to project an image of strength, self-sufficiency, and perfection. Our culture tells us that vulnerability is weakness, yet Scripture reveals the opposite. Pastor CJ shared a powerful truth: “The work of restoration cannot begin until a problem is fully faced.” We may try to mask our challenges, but denying our need only delays the healing God desires to bring. The baseline of Christianity is not perfection but the admission that we are all in need of grace.

Jesus doesn’t demand we come to Him “fixed” or “put together.” The foundation of the Christian journey is our shared acknowledgment of imperfection. Romans 3:23 states, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” By recognizing our needs and failures, we open ourselves up to the grace that God longs to pour into our lives.

Finding Healing Through Honesty

CJ explains how our actions and feelings are intricately connected. Like the paralyzed man who sat in shame, avoiding eye contact and expecting to be overlooked, we, too, can find ourselves burdened by the shame of unspoken struggles. Often, we mask our issues with superficial solutions, social media highlights, or by blaming external circumstances. But these responses only provide temporary relief; they do not bring true healing.

In the act of looking up and facing our reality, we take the first step toward genuine healing. Just as Peter extended a hand to the man at the gate, offering him healing instead of money, God extends His hand to us, offering a cure that goes beyond our immediate desires. He gives us what we truly need: freedom and transformation in His name.

Our Church’s Role as God’s Temple

The church is not just a building; it is a community called to reflect God’s love and grace. In the early church, believers met daily, sharing what they had, worshiping together, and growing in faith as one family (Acts 2:46-47). Like that early church, we are reminded that we are all part of God’s temple, where His Spirit dwells. And as members of this body, our mission is to help others feel welcome and supported, especially in their moments of vulnerability.

Romans 12:5 captures this unity beautifully: “So in Christ, we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Embracing our brokenness and recognizing that it’s okay to struggle strengthens our community. It fosters a church culture where people can come as they are, finding support and encouragement as they seek healing.

Living a Life of True Freedom

The message ends with an invitation to real, lasting freedom. CJ emphasized that trying to “hold it all together” or project an image of perfection is exhausting and, ultimately, unsustainable. The peace we crave doesn’t come from convincing others that we’re okay; it comes from the One who already knows our deepest struggles and still offers us His boundless love. Jesus calls us to rest in Him and to let go of the pressures of appearance, control, and self-sufficiency.

The world may look at our openness about struggles and label it as weakness, but in Christ, it’s strength. When we allow ourselves to be honest about our pain, we experience God’s strength made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). He meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be.

Embracing the Call to Look Up

In closing, this message offers a powerful takeaway: it’s okay to not be okay. Christianity doesn’t require us to have it all together; it asks only that we come to Jesus as we are. Whether you’re someone who has yet to follow Christ or a long-time believer struggling with the weight of hidden burdens, God is calling you to look up, just as Peter called the paralyzed man to look at him and receive healing.

God’s grace and mercy are available today. We don’t have to wait until we have everything figured out. Psalm 34:18 tells us, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Jesus is near, ready to extend His hand, offering a peace and a healing that no facade can ever provide.

Are you ready to let go of the pressure to be “okay” and experience the life-changing love of Jesus?

Did you like Acts: Life On Mission – Week 6 – Our Church is God’s Temple? If so, check out more of our Sunday teachings here.