For the longest time, Clara felt she had to hold it all together.
She was one of the youngest youth leaders in church, always smiling, always showing up, always saying, “God’s got me.” When her father passed suddenly, she told everyone, “I'm fine. I've surrendered it to God.”
She didn’t cry in front of anyone. She kept praying, serving, and doing the Lord's work, but late at night, the tears would come silently, in her room.
She thought talking to anyone would mean she lacked faith.
It wasn’t until she forgot her lines during a youth drama, stood frozen on stage, and quietly said, “I’m just… tired,” that the dam broke.
After the service, one of the older sisters in church gently pulled her aside. They talked, really talked.
For the first time, Clara let someone in. No judgment, no deep prophecy, just presence, prayer, and a warm cup of tea.
Later she said, “I thought maturity meant carrying it all in silence. But I’ve learned — strength is knowing when to ask for help, too.”
I saw a part of a post that wrote, “Spiritual adults do not leak emotions. They surrender them for transformation.” While I understand the intent that we should take our emotions to God, I gently disagree with how it's phrased.
Jesus Himself showed deep emotion.
He wept at Lazarus’ tomb (John 11:35), expressed anguish in Gethsemane (Luke 22:44), and cried out in sorrow (Mark 14:34). Was He emotionally immature? Not at all. He was sinless, fully God and fully human, and yet He expressed emotion freely, honestly, and in the presence of others.
David, the man after God’s own heart, poured out his soul in the Psalms. He cried, questioned, and rejoiced. Emotional expression was part of his worship and surrender.
Spiritual maturity isn’t about bottling up emotions.
It’s about expressing them truthfully, then surrendering them to God, not suppressing them to appear strong. Sometimes, “leaking” emotions are exactly what invites the Body of Christ to gather around us in love and prayer (Galatians 6:2, James 5:16).
Let’s go to God first, yes. But let’s also remember that healing often happens in community, with trusted brothers and sisters in the faith.
It’s not a weakness to feel. It’s Christlike to feel and to surrender.
You’re not being “emotionally indulgent” for opening up to trusted friends in the faith. You're being wise when you do it prayerfully and with the right people while keeping God at the center.
This is what the Body of Christ is for, not just vertical healing with God, but horizontal support with His people.
Part of the lyrics of Matthew West's 'Truth be Told Song' writes:
Lie number one, you're supposed to have it all together
And when they ask how you're doing, just smile and tell 'em, "Never better"
Truly that's a lie...
A lot of negative things thrive in silence.
May God help us to speak out when we need to, and to the right person/people, Amen.
She was one of the youngest youth leaders in church, always smiling, always showing up, always saying, “God’s got me.” When her father passed suddenly, she told everyone, “I'm fine. I've surrendered it to God.”
She didn’t cry in front of anyone. She kept praying, serving, and doing the Lord's work, but late at night, the tears would come silently, in her room.
She thought talking to anyone would mean she lacked faith.
It wasn’t until she forgot her lines during a youth drama, stood frozen on stage, and quietly said, “I’m just… tired,” that the dam broke.
After the service, one of the older sisters in church gently pulled her aside. They talked, really talked.
For the first time, Clara let someone in. No judgment, no deep prophecy, just presence, prayer, and a warm cup of tea.
Later she said, “I thought maturity meant carrying it all in silence. But I’ve learned — strength is knowing when to ask for help, too.”
I saw a part of a post that wrote, “Spiritual adults do not leak emotions. They surrender them for transformation.” While I understand the intent that we should take our emotions to God, I gently disagree with how it's phrased.
Jesus Himself showed deep emotion.
He wept at Lazarus’ tomb (John 11:35), expressed anguish in Gethsemane (Luke 22:44), and cried out in sorrow (Mark 14:34). Was He emotionally immature? Not at all. He was sinless, fully God and fully human, and yet He expressed emotion freely, honestly, and in the presence of others.
David, the man after God’s own heart, poured out his soul in the Psalms. He cried, questioned, and rejoiced. Emotional expression was part of his worship and surrender.
Spiritual maturity isn’t about bottling up emotions.
It’s about expressing them truthfully, then surrendering them to God, not suppressing them to appear strong. Sometimes, “leaking” emotions are exactly what invites the Body of Christ to gather around us in love and prayer (Galatians 6:2, James 5:16).
Let’s go to God first, yes. But let’s also remember that healing often happens in community, with trusted brothers and sisters in the faith.
It’s not a weakness to feel. It’s Christlike to feel and to surrender.
You’re not being “emotionally indulgent” for opening up to trusted friends in the faith. You're being wise when you do it prayerfully and with the right people while keeping God at the center.
This is what the Body of Christ is for, not just vertical healing with God, but horizontal support with His people.
Part of the lyrics of Matthew West's 'Truth be Told Song' writes:
Lie number one, you're supposed to have it all together
And when they ask how you're doing, just smile and tell 'em, "Never better"
Truly that's a lie...
A lot of negative things thrive in silence.
May God help us to speak out when we need to, and to the right person/people, Amen.
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