Latest / HAVE FAITH LET IT BEGIN® / I'm Tired of Pretending I'm Okay Part 2 of 10 Part Series Following Jesus in Real Life

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I'm Tired of Pretending I'm Okay Part 2 of 10 Part Series Following Jesus in Real Life · HAVE FAITH LET IT BEGIN®

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  Following Jesus in Real Life, episode number two.
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  I'm tired of pretending I'm okay.
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  Following Jesus isn't about having all the answers. It's about trusting God one step at a time.
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  Welcome to Following Jesus in Real Life, a special series from Have Faith,
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  Let It Begin. My name is Angel.
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  Together, we'll have an honest conversation about faith, doubt,
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  hope, grace, and what it truly means to follow Christ, not just on Sundays, but every single day.
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  Let's walk this journey together in a 10-part series. This is Have Faith,
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  Let It Begin, and it starts right now.
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  Welcome to Have Faith, Let It Begin. This is Ariel Santana.
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  Can you believe I'm seven years old already? I'm old enough now to introduce my dad.
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  Ladies and gentlemen, your host, my dad, Angel Santana.
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  He walks the road. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to Have Faith, Let It Begin.
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  I'm Angel Santana, and thank you for joining me for episode number two of Following
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  Jesus in Real Life. It is a 10-part series, and this is one you don't want to miss.
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  Today's conversation begins with a simple question.
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  How are you, really?
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  Not the answer we give in passing, not the simple smile we put on for church,
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  not the response we post on social media. I mean, the honest answer.
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  Because the truth is, many of us have become experts at saying,
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  I'm fine, even when we're falling apart inside.
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  If you ever felt like this and you had to hide your struggles to look like a
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  good person, a good Christian, today's episode is definitely for you. Heart check.
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  Have you ever noticed how easy it is to wear a mask?
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  Someone asks, how are you doing? You smile. I'm good.
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  Everything's fine. Meanwhile, your heart is carrying and.
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  Your heart is carrying worry.
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  Disappointment, grief, and exhaustion. I had a moment there.
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  Sometimes we convince ourselves that faith means pretending everything is okay.
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  But pretending isn't the same as trusting. Jesus never asked us to hide our
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  burdens. He invited us to bring them to him.
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  So let's talk about that. Somewhere along the way, many believers,
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  many Christians begin or began believing a lie.
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  If I admit I'm struggling, people will think my faith is weak.
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  But strict scripture tells us a different story.
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  Many of God's faithful servants cried out in pain, confusion, and discouragement.
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  Their honesty didn't push away God's love.
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  Their honesty didn't push God away at all. It drew them closer.
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  God isn't intimidated by our questions.
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  He isn't disappointed by your tears. He already knows what's in your heart.
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  He simply wants you to bring them to him.
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  Let's go and talk about a biblical perspective. Throughout the Bible,
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  we see people who love God deeply, yet wrestle with difficult emotions.
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  David poured out his heart in the Psalms. Elijah experienced exhaustion and discouragement.
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  Even Jesus in the garden expressed the weight he was carrying.
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  Their stories remind us that honesty before God is not lack of faith. It's an act of faith.
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  Because when we're honest, we're trusting him with our whole heart,
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  not just the polished parts.
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  Let me get a little personal with you. I've learned that there have been many
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  months, many years when I tried to be strong for everyone else.
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  I wanted to encourage others. I wanted to serve. I wanted people to know that God is faithful.
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  But I also realized that I couldn't pour from an empty cup.
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  There were moments when I needed to stop pretending and simply say,
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  Lord, I am exhausted. I am tired. And do you know what I found?
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  Not condemnation, not disappointment, I found grace.
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  And sometimes the strongest prayer we can pray is also the simplest. Jesus, I need you.
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  So how do we live this out? Maybe today you've been carrying something silent,
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  a burden, a fear, a disappointment.
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  You don't have to carry it alone. Being honest doesn't mean you've lost your faith.
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  It means you're inviting God into places where you need him most.
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  Healing often begins the moment we stop pretending. So here's a faith challenge for you.
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  Today's faith challenge is simple, but it takes courage.
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  Find a quiet place. Spend five minutes with God.
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  No polished words, no rehearsed prayers, just honesty. And tell him exactly how you're feeling.
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  Then, if there's someone you trust, a spouse, a close friend,
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  a pastor, or a mentor, or a podcaster, consider sharing what you're carrying.
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  Sometimes God reminds us we're not alone. Sometimes God reminds us that we're
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  not alone through the people he placed in our lives.
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  So here's my closing thought for this morning. Following Jesus was never about
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  pretending to be perfect.
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  It's about learning to trust the one who already knows us completely and loves us.
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  Completely. You don't have to earn His grace. You simply have to receive it.
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  Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us exactly as we are.
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  Thank you for being a part of our lives. Thank you that we don't have to hide
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  behind smiles or pretend that everything is okay.
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  Give us the courage to be honest with you. Heal the places in our hearts that
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  we've kept hidden and surround us with people who will encourage us,
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  pray for us, and walk beside us.
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  Teach us the true strength is not found, well, let me rephrase.
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  The true, well, teach us about true strength, right? Let's see.
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  How can we rephrase true strength?
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  Teach us that true strength is found not in pretending, but in depending on you. That's better.
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  And we pray that unto you. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Well, today's takeaway.
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  God isn't asking you to pretend you're strong. He's inviting you to discover that he is.
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  Thank you for joining us for episode two of this 10-part series,
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  Following Jesus in Real Life.
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  Remember, Jesus never asked us to wear a mask. He simply asked us to follow him.
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  So keep walking, keep trusting, keep believing, and never forget to have faith and let it begin.
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  Coming up next, episode three, what if I don't feel saved?
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  Finding assurance when feelings and faith collide.
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  We'll explore one of the most personal questions a believer, a Christian can ask.
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  Can I still belong to God even when I don't feel close to him?
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  Take care, see you tomorrow. Have faith.
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  Let's go.