Have you ever watched a duck move across the water? They move so smoothly, as if they are gliding on ice. They look calm, serene, unhurried.

Look beneath the water surface, and you will see something different: frantic paddling that propels the duck forward. What you see on top isn’t the reality of what’s going on. Is it the same in your life?

What do people see when they look at your life?

Does what people see differ from what’s actually going on?

Of course, we can’t share everything about our lives with everyone…nor should we. But we do ourselves, and others, a disservice by projecting a calm, serene appearance, when, in reality, we’re frantic and stressed.

Sharing our struggles helps us by releasing some pressure. We don’t have to keep it all inside. Letting someone else know what’s going on in our life lets us breathe a sigh, share the burden, and invite encouragement and accountability. Saying “I’m fine” when we’re not isn’t a good option. It might be the easy answer, but only in the short-term. The easy answer becomes a hard facade to maintain down the road.

Sharing our struggles helps others by reassuring them they’re not the only ones who experience stress. When we authentically share, we invite them to do the same. We can check in with each other. Let’s make sure we’re not supporting ourselves in ways that support the frantic pace. We can’t control all the chaos in our lives, but we can respond to it in different ways. We have choices, and we need to take an honest look at what we can change. Sometimes, we can coast and recharge through the rest. Sometimes, we can paddle smarter, not harder.

We don’t need to go everywhere we think we need to go at the pace we think we ought to go. We can let God determine the where and how fast (or slow).

For we are making provision for what is right, not only before the Lord but also before men. (2 Corinthians 8:21)