I'm Fine
Do you realize this is one of the most prolific lies told on a daily basis? Every day when you interact with people and they ask you how you are doing, your answer is usually "I'm fine". When was the last time you were fine? You might have a severe pain in your body and need medical assistance. The clerk at the pharmacy trying to be polite asks you how you are, and you respond "I'm fine". Is that the truth?
Perhaps what you mean is that you think you can take care of yourself. Perhaps you do not want to burden others with your problems. Perhaps you do not want to show your weakness and frailty. Either way, what you told the clerk is a lie. Things are not fine if you are there to pick up a prescription. Things are not fine when you have pain and ailments. Things are not fine if you have suffered the recent loss of a loved one, or lost a friend.
Things are not fine in this world. The Christian must recognize that sin is a very large part of our lives. The people we associate with are guilty of sin. Even some of our brethren let us down and sin, and certainly we dare not say that we have no sin. Thus, we are not fine. We are nowhere near fine to be honest with ourselves.
So now that the truth is out there, and has been spoken, and you realize that you are a liar for telling others you are fine; how do we turn this around so that we really and truly can become fine?
First, we must acknowledge our own sins and repent of them and stop the sin in our lives. We do this by learning what God wants from us in this life, and that is revealed in the pages of His holy word, the Bible.
Second we must learn to put our trust in God and let Him take care of us. We are to cast our cares upon Him, because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). Our lives are under His protective care and we should not fear anything except leaving that protective care by our willingness to continue in sin (Hebrews 10:26).
Third, we must recognize that we cannot take care of ourselves by ourselves. That demonstrates the wisdom of God to institute the church. These people who are our brethren are just like each other. They can relate to what you are stressed over. They probably have been through your fiery ordeals, and can offer comfort by their words or solace by their silence.
I know that depression can be brought about by chemical imbalances in the brain. But most of the time it comes because people focus upon themselves to the exclusion of everything else. They have not learned to put their trust in God and focus upon Him.
"...let us lay aside every weight of encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith..." (Hebrews 12:1-2).
So the next time someone asks you how you are, you might think carefully about your words you choose to answer with. Perhaps you can demonstrate that your world is not fine at all, but God is helping take care of you. Perhaps you can tell them that you have problems, but you are trying to deal with them. Then again, if you have put your trust in God and lean upon His guidance, you just might be able to answer truthfully: "I'm fine".
Please consider these thoughts and pray for yourself, others, and the whole world situation that is very troubling.
By Carey Scott

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