Read this bizarre scenario: You wake up with a terrible achy pain. You are discouraged. “I should be stronger.” “Why don’t I take better care of myself?” “This pain is all my fault.” You hobble through your day trying to be braver or blaming everyone around you because you’re grouchy. But then a friend sits you down and says, “Dude! Did you know your leg is broken??”

Knowing what the real problem is drives you to one thing: the emergency room!! Immediately!! You suddenly see that early-morning self-condemnation pointed to an actual problem with a real solution! 

I do the same bizarre thing with less visible injuries. I wake up with a question already on my mind. It’s usually anxiety-laden or self-judgemental. Something like, “Am I getting up too late? Am I already using this day badly?” 

I subconsciously spend the rest of my day trying to get an answer to that question. I try to feel better through tasks, distractions, noise, and other people. That nagging feeling that I’m not good enough haunts me, and I try to force other things and people to make me feel better. Spoiler: it never works. Like trying to ignore a broken leg.

My presenting question might be “am I already wasting this day?” but underneath is “Am I good enough?” or even “Will anyone love me?” Those are deep and valid questions. We need to feel valuable. We need to feel loved. 

If you ask these fundamental questions, it’s ok! It’s so common that I’ve made you a worksheet to help you identify some of the deep questions that are underneath the noise, the broken leg under the ache. (https://www.signpostinn.org/product/worksheet-the-question-i-wake-up-asking)

It’s ok to notice and be curious about that first-thing-in-the-morning question. It’s the first step toward deep comfort and real meaning. My anxious question is an invitation to turn to God. Really, practically, immediately. Taking a second to identify my deep-down need and asking God about it changes the conversation. Just a little at a time, I can start to find real answers in God’s real love, and I slowly rely less on things and people to be my solution. 

Sometimes you need a friend to sit you down and point it out! I need help to calm down, sort through things and get the courage to bring my question to God. He wants to hear my questions, even my anger, fear and frustration! He’s not shocked or overwhelmed by my injuries. He uses everything for good. He can even poke my heart with the question I wake up asking. It can be the beginning of a healing encounter with a God who knows what I deeply need and rushes to answer me.