How many times have you been asked that question? This question easily rolls off our tongue when we meet someone, often we barely wait for a response. We are just being polite in the asking.

Generally, the response is “fine.” This works to satisfy the question. And when you think of all the terrible, awful things that could happen, we are generally “fine.” Usually, the person asking would be surprised to hear a response like: I’ve had a miserable day, my knee hurts, I forgot to call my mother – again, the national debt is three trillion dollars, and I can’t decide to mask or not to mask, COVID go away! I wish I was a cat who could curl up in a ball and sleep all day. Oh, and by the way, how are you?

Christian writer Kathleen Bostrom tells of her friend who is fluent in Spanish. He explained to a group that one of the responses given colloquially to the common greeting, “Como estas?” (How are you?) is “Aqui en la lucha,” which means “Here in the struggle.” I love that! What a perfect and honest answer. So much more expressive than “fine,” especially when you are just scraping by. A better answer than rattling off your personal litany of woes. Answering “Here in the struggle” removes both the usual dishonest answers and the self-pitying ones.

In the Bible, many psalms, Psalm 86 included, find the writer struggling and pleading to be heard.

Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
listen to my cry of supplication.
In the day of my trouble, I call on you,
for you will answer me.

God, are you there? Are you listening? Answer me!

God replies, “Aqui en la lucha.”

Here in the struggle…. No matter what we are facing, whether we choose to share with others or keep the details to ourselves, God is with us. We can always count on God being with us now, and forever more.

Thank you, God, for your abiding steadfast love.

Together on the journey,

Louise