How are you?

I. BRTHREN IN THE LORD! “ Have become a familiar salutation that we just answer without reflecting on what it actually means. We say it every day, in the market, in church, on WhatsApp, and on the phone. Because it has become a normal salutation, we rarely wait for the answer when we ask, or better still, we know the pre-recorded response. We have unfortunately turned a sacred question into a greeting. A spiritual inquiry into a social formality. We ask, but we do not listen. We speak, but we do not see. Today, God is asking us, "" again, not as a greeting, but as a divine examination: How are you—really? How is your soul? How is your heart? How is your mind? How is your marriage? How is your hidden life when no one is watching? In Genesis 4:9, God asked Cain, “Where is Abel thy brother? Cain answered carelessly. Many of us today answer God carelessly too: “I’m fine.” But heaven knows we are not fine. Today, stop pretending, start examining, and start healing. How are YOU, reflect before you answer?

II. SON OF MAN, there are three spiritual dimensions to this seemingly simple question. Brother! How Are You Spiritually? You can be busy in church and bankrupt in spirit. You can sing in the choir and be silent in prayer. You can preach to others and be lost yourself. “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"—Mark 8:36. Today, face your mirror and ask that image you see: When last did God speak to you, not through a pastor, but personally? When last did you pray without asking for something?

When last did you weep for your sins? Many Christians are spiritually tired, spiritually dry, and spiritually wounded—but they cover it with activity. Activity is not intimacy. Service is not sonship. God is not asking, “How is your ministry? He is asking, “ Do you know the spiritual status of your ministry? Do you know your spiritual health? Sister! How Are You Emotionally and Mentally? Face reality today. David was not ashamed to say, "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Psalm 42:5. Elijah, after enormous victory, wanted to die. Jeremiah wept. Hannah wept. Jesus wept. Don’t hide under the flower of the church; face reality. How are you emotionally and mentally?

III. DAUGHTER OF ZION, being a Christian does not mean you never feel pain. It means you do not carry pain alone. How are you really? Are you depressed but smiling? Are you anxious but shouting Hallelujah? Are you grieving but pretending to be strong for everybody? God cares about your mental health. 3 John 1:2 says God wishes you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. Your soul includes your mind, your emotions, and your will. It is not unspiritual to be tired. It is not faithless to admit you are struggling. It is honest. And honesty is the beginning of healing. How Are You Relationally? Cain was asked about his brother. You will be asked about your neighbour, your spouse, your children, and your colleague. How are you with people? Are you forgiving or bitter? Are you building or breaking? Are you present at home or only present in public? Many people are successful outside and failing inside. They are celebrated in public and lonely in private. They have followers online and no friends offline. God did not create you to succeed alone. He created you for community. Stop being a Superman or superwoman; seek help.

IV. MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS IN THE LORD, why do we answer “I’m fine” when we are not fine? We don’t want people to know we are struggling. We fear judgment. In church, we fear people will say our faith is weak. We have learned to perform wellness. We have no time to stop and examine ourselves. But pretending does not heal, masking does not mend, and a wound covered without treatment becomes infected. The Bible says, "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” — Proverbs 28:13. Beloved, when you tell God the truth, He does not condemn you. He comforts you. God is patient. He waited for Hagar in the wilderness. He waited for the woman at the well. He will wait for you. God is not only the God of the strong. He is the God of the broken. From now on, let “” become ministry. When you ask someone, stop. Look in their eyes. Wait. Listen. Don’t rush. Remember this is a DIVINE NEW DAY PROPHETIC WORD of encouragement sent forth through the authority and power of Christ Jesus and delivered to the brethren through God's vessel, Francis Ameyibor. Yes! Check on the strong ones. The pastor. The leader. The mother who holds everyone. The man who never cries. They are often the most tired.

V. 2026 IS OUR YEAR AND SEASON TO BE LIFTED UP—Take a moment, right now, in honesty before God: Am I close to God or just close to church? Am I at peace or am I pretending? Am I resting or am I burning out? Have I forgiven? Have I asked for forgiveness? Am I living God’s assignment or people’s expectations? Write it down. Pray about it. Talk to someone trustworthy. Seek counsel. Seek prayer. Seek help. That is strength, not weakness.

PRAYER: Lord, You know how I really am. I have said “I’m fine” for too long. Today I bring You my true self — my weariness, my wounds, my worries, my hidden struggles. Heal me. Restore me. Help me. Make me whole in spirit, soul and body. And make me a keeper of my brother and sister. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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