I’m Not Okay — And That’s Okay

Reading of the Word

Matthew 26:37–39 NASB 2020

And He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with Him, and began to be grieved and distressed. Then He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me.” And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

1 Corinthians 12:12–13 NASB 2020

For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Prayer Before Sermon

Lord Jesus, Thank You for taking our place and carrying the weight we could never bear. Open our hearts and minds now to see the depth of Your love and the power of Your sacrifice. Speak through Your Word and change us today.

Amen.

Introduction

How many of you have ever had a moment where you just said — or wanted to say — “I’m not okay”?

The world tells us, “Be positive, put on a happy face.” But here’s the truth: pretending doesn’t heal anything. Faking a smile doesn’t fix what’s broken inside.

And sometimes we even bring that same attitude into church. We walk in, shake hands, say “I’m fine,” even when we’re falling apart. But church isn’t a place for fake smiles. It’s a place where we bring our real struggles and meet a real Savior.

Today, I want to show you from Scripture that it’s okay to not be okay. Jesus Himself had moments of deep struggle — and in those moments, He shows us how to pray, how to trust, and how to endure.

1. It’s Okay to Admit “I’m Not Okay”

Life is hard — stress, pain, and temptation are real. Life beats us down. The things of the world overwhelm us, consume us, and can destroy us if we let them.

Christians are not immune to struggle. Being honest with God is not weakness — it’s faith.

The more open we are to God’s will, the more the enemy will attack us. He wants to do anything possible to keep us from having a relationship and impact for Jesus.

We don’t come to church because we have it all together — we come because we don’t. (pause) We come because we need a Savior — a Savior full of grace, mercy, and love. (pause, look around) So let’s drop the mask. God already knows what’s going on inside. (lean in) The first step toward healing is simply saying, ‘God, I’m not okay — but I’m here.’”

2. Jesus Understands Our Struggles

Matthew says Jesus took Peter, James, and John into Gethsemane and said, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death.”

The first Adam fell in a garden and fellowship was broken. The last Adam, Jesus, entered a garden to restore what was lost — not to fall, but to bow His will and begin redemption.

Jesus knew what was ahead — betrayal, beatings, the cross, and the weight of our sin. His human heart didn’t want to face it alone, so He went where He always went — to His Father in prayer.

Luke tells us this moment was so intense that Jesus’ sweat was like drops of blood.

Illustration: Sweating Blood – The Weight of the Moment

Medical science calls this hematidrosis, a rare condition caused by extreme stress.

Think about that: the weight of the world — your sin and mine — pressed down on Him so heavily it broke Him open.

Jesus fell on His face and prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

His posture — face down — shows complete surrender.

Then He fell on His face and prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Persistence in Prayer

Jesus prayed this same prayer three times. Each time, He surrendered His will to the Father’s. He didn’t just pray once and walk away — He came back again and again because, in His humanity, He felt the weight of weakness and sorrow. Prayer became His lifeline, His way of leaning fully on the Father for the strength to keep going and fulfill God’s purpose. And that’s an invitation for us too — when we feel weak, overwhelmed, or unsure, we can keep coming back to God, knowing He will meet us with the strength we need.

Persistent prayer isn’t about God finally hearing us — it’s about our hearts becoming fully surrendered.

Intercessors keep asking, keep seeking, keep showing God they mean business — and in that persistence, God strengthens us, even if the situation doesn’t change.

When God Says No

Sometimes God says yes. Sometimes He says wait.

And sometimes God says no — not because He is cruel, but because His will is perfect even when it doesn’t match our desires.

If we’re honest, that’s the hardest answer to receive.

We run.

We hide.

We pretend that this was not the answer God gave us.

Yet God doesn’t stop pursuing us.

His Spirit keeps convicting, keeps calling, until we face the choice:

Will we follow our way or His?

Prayer as Surrender

Prayer isn’t magic — it isn’t about controlling God.

Prayer is surrender — trusting His goodness and believing His will is best even when it’s hard.

When we bring Him our pain:

He takes our brokenness and makes it new.

He doesn’t just glue the pieces back together — He creates something beautiful.

Jesus shares in our pain and turns what the enemy meant for harm into good.

The Real Weight of Gethsemane

What overwhelmed Jesus most was not the nails — but the weight of our sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21 NASB 2020

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Jesus took our place. He stepped into our suffering and carried the heaviest weight any human has ever known — the full burden of sin and pain. He felt the crushing weight we could never bear so that we could be free. This is how much He loves us — enough to trade His life for ours. And now, He invites us to respond by trusting Him, following Him, and living in the freedom He purchased for us.

That truth gives us hope — and the strength to walk through our struggles together with God.

3. God Is Faithful to Help Us Endure

Struggles often bring temptations — to quit, to give in, to turn away.

Don’t get overconfident and think you’re immune to a certain sin — none of us are. The Israelites fell again and again in the wilderness, and Paul warns the Corinthian church, and us, to be careful. God often takes us through a wilderness before leading us to the promised land — and pride is what keeps us wandering. The moment we think, ‘I’d never do that,’ is the moment we’re most vulnerable to falling.

Illustration: The Egg and Humility

(Stand in front of your congregation holding the egg carefully in your hand.)

“This egg looks strong, doesn’t it? It’s smooth, complete, and held together. But one small crack…” (Crack the egg into a clear bowl — let the sound and the sight land.) “…and there’s no putting it back together. You can’t un-crack it.

Now lean in:

“That’s how sin works. It doesn’t take much — just one small compromise, one moment of pride, one time thinking, ‘I’ve got this, I’d never do that.’ And just like this egg, things can get messy fast.

That’s why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:12 —

‘If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.’

Humility is the hand that holds us steady. Humility admits, ‘I’m not as strong as I think. I need Jesus every single day.’

And here’s the good news — while we can’t un-crack the egg, Jesus can take our mess and make something new out of it. That’s the gospel! But let’s not wait until we’re broken — let’s stay close to Him now. If you are broken let him start the work of making you into a new creation.

Clarifying 1 Corinthians 10:13

Paul reminds us that temptation is common to all — but God is faithful.

This verse is often misquoted as, “God will never give you more than you can handle.” But we’ve all had more than we can handle!

Paul isn’t talking about burdens here — he’s talking about temptation. He says no temptation is unique to you, and God is faithful.

This verse isn’t about being strong enough for life’s problems — it’s about trusting God to give you a way out when temptation comes.

The promise:

God will never set you up for failure — He is not the one tempting you. Temptation will come, but He is the Deliverer who rescues us from evil. And yes, we will stumble at times because we are human — but even then, He offers forgiveness and a way back. Paul says He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, and He will always provide a way of escape. You are no longer a slave to sin — you are alive in Christ!

You may have more than you can handle — but never more than God can handle.

God’s Fight for You

1 Thessalonians 5:24 NASB 2020

Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will do it.

God is not passive — He fights for you.

Right now, there is a war more intense than any earthly war — a battle for your soul.

And God will fight to the end to win it.

He is pushing back the darkness so you can see Him clearly.

If Jesus could overcome temptation in His humanity, so can we — because He gives us the strength to say no to sin and yes to God’s will.

Hope in Community

Our “I’m not okay” moments are not wasted.

They become opportunities for God to show His power and His presence.

They give the church a chance to step in and walk alongside one another.

Galatians 6:2 NASB 2020

Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.

Life is better together — we face the hardest times by walking with one another and letting God work through His church.

This Week’s Takeaway: It’s okay to tell God when you’re struggling — He meets us with strength and hope.

Conclusion

Truth: It’s okay to not be okay — Jesus shows us that in Gethsemane.

Hope: God will meet you in your struggle. He won’t abandon you — He will give you strength and a way through.

Step: What’s weighing on you today? Be honest with God. Tell Him where you’re struggling — not just this week but right now.

Encouragement: You are not alone. Jesus understands, and your church family is here to walk with you.

Invitation:

I want to give you a moment to respond.

Maybe you need to come to the altar or whisper a prayer right where you sit:

“God, I’m not okay — but I’m here. Help me trust You.”

Let God meet you in this moment and strengthen you for what’s ahead.

Charge:

Imagine the healing and freedom that could come if we stopped pretending and started being honest with God.

Let’s be a church where it’s safe to say, “I’m not okay” — and a church that walks one another toward Jesus.

Prayer Following Sermon

Father, thank You for meeting us right where we are. Thank You that we don’t have to pretend — we can come to You just as we are and find grace, mercy, and strength.

Right now, we bring You our fears, our pain, and our ‘I’m not okay’ moments. Help us to surrender them to You and trust Your will. Give us courage to say yes to You and strength to walk in Your way.

Make us a church that carries one another’s burdens and shines Your hope to a hurting world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Benediction

Church, as you go, remember the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:24 — ‘Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will do it.’ The same God who met Jesus in the garden will meet you in your struggles. He will fight for you, provide the way through temptation, and give you the strength to endure.

So go in the grace of Jesus Christ, walk in the Spirit’s power, and bear one another’s burdens — because life truly is better together. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.