We Don’t Have to Pretend We’re OK | Faith, Grief & Honest Hope (Luke 24) | Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast S3 E29
Apr 12, 2026
Summary
What if faith isn’t about pretending everything is fine—but about telling the truth? In this episode of the Perspectives Podcast from First United Methodist Church of San Diego, Rev. Brittany and Rev. Trudy explore what it means to not be okay and why that honesty might be the beginning of real hope.
Detail
What if faith isn’t about pretending everything is fine—but about telling the truth?
In this episode of the Perspectives Podcast from First United Methodist Church of San Diego, Rev. Brittany and Rev. Trudy explore what it means to not be okay and why that honesty might be the beginning of real hope.
After Easter, when celebration fades and real life sets back in, many of us are left carrying grief, doubt, exhaustion, or unanswered questions. Drawing from Luke 24:13–32 (The Road to Emmaus), this conversation reminds us that even Jesus’ followers wrestled with disappointment, confusion, and loss.
In Part 1 of our series “The Grace of the Passion,” we explore how God meets us not when we have it all together but when we’re willing to be real.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why “I’m fine” culture can harm our faith and mental health
- The courage it takes to face grief, disappointment, and change
- Why resurrection hope doesn’t erase present pain
- The importance of community when life feels overwhelming
- What happens when we avoid grief—and why it eventually catches up
- How God meets us in confusion, not just in clarity
Content Note: This episode includes discussion of deep emotional pain and mentions of suicide. If you are in crisis, please call 9-1-1 or visit your nearest emergency room. You are not alone.
Reflection Questions:
- What are you carrying right now that you’ve been trying to hold together on your own?
- When has a season of “not being okay” led to growth?
- When have you felt that God was absent or hard to recognize?
Continue the conversation by reflecting with someone you trust or join the Perspectives community online via Patreon or in person at the weekly Convergence Discussion Group.
Limited on time? Jump ahead to these pivotal moments.
Timestamps
00:00 Intro – Is it OK to not be OK?
00:34 Special content note & episode overview
3:26 Why the Road to Emmaus story matters
7:34 When hope dies after disappointment
10:09 You’re not OK – and that changes how you see things
15:04 Rethinking suffering, faith, and God’s role
19:07 Faith, mental health, and the danger of “just be OK”
21:10 The pressure to pretend in culture and church
23:17 Standing still in grief
24:58 “If you don’t sit with your grief…”
26:43 Reflection questions and closing
