When Life Feels Upside Down: Trusting God When Your Emotions Are a Hot Mess

Can we all be honest for a moment: sometimes life feels like the rollercoaster no one actually asked to ride. You know the one—upside down loops, your stomach in your throat, and you’re screaming, “Stop the ride, I want off!”

Except this isn’t Six Flags. This is real life. The job falls through. The relationship crumbles. The diagnosis hits. The bills pile up. The thing you thought you could handle turns into the thing that makes you question everything.

And while your head knows, “God’s got this,” your heart is over here like, “Cool, but can He hurry it up before I lose my mind?”

Yeah… I’m there right now too.

So, let’s talk about how to actually survive when life feels upside down—when you’re trusting God, but your emotions are bouncing from faith to fear to frustration and back again like an Olympic gymnast.

1. Stop Pretending You’re Okay (Seriously)

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve said “I’m fine” while clearly not fine, I could at least afford one of those fancy coffees with oat milk and extra foam. 🙃

Here’s the thing: God doesn’t need your polished answers or your “church face.” He wants your truth. He’s not allergic to your tears, your doubts, or your meltdowns.

David (you know, the guy who took down Goliath) also wrote stuff like: “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” (Psalm 13:1). Translation: “God, where ARE You?!” If he could be that real, so can you.

So next time someone asks how you’re doing, try honesty. It’s okay to say, “Honestly? Today’s rough.” Or even, “Ask me tomorrow—I might have a better answer then.”

2. Let Your Prayers Be Ugly (God Can Handle It)

I don’t know who started the rumor that prayers need to sound like Shakespeare wrote them, but I’m here to break that lie.

Your prayer doesn’t have to be poetic. It can be messy. Mine lately have sounded like this: “God, I hate this. I’m scared. I don’t understand. HELP.”

That’s prayer. That’s raw honesty. That’s relationship.

God already knows what’s in your heart—He’s just waiting for you to let it out instead of bottling it up. Spoiler alert: bottling it up always explodes later. Usually, the targets are innocent people, such as your spouse, kids, or the poor Target cashier who forgot to double-bag your eggs.

3. Anchor Yourself in Truth, Not Temporary Feelings

Emotions are like toddlers with glitter—everywhere, unpredictable, and exhausting. They’re real, but they’re not always reliable.

One day you feel like “God’s got this,” and the next day you’re googling “Is it possible to move to another planet?”

When feelings go haywire, truth has to be louder. That’s why God gave us His Word. Romans 8:28 reminds us that “for those who love God all things work together for good.” All things. Even this mess you hate right now.

So write down Scriptures that steady you. Stick them on your bathroom mirror, car dashboard, or phone screen. (Yes, even above your TikTok app. Because let’s be honest, we scroll TikTok when we’re stressed.)

4. Do the Next Small Right Thing

When life feels like chaos, your brain wants to sprint ahead 47 steps into the future. “What if this happens? What if that doesn’t work out? What if I end up living in my car with three cats?”

Here’s the reality: you can’t control everything. But you can control your next step.

• Drink water.

• Get outside for fresh air.

• Text that friend who actually prays instead of just sending you memes (though memes help too).

• Put on worship music and cry it out.

• Take a nap (seriously, naps are biblical—Jesus napped during a storm).

It doesn’t have to be heroic. Just the next small right thing.

5. Waiting on God Isn’t Doing Nothing

Waiting feels like punishment, doesn’t it? Biblically speaking, waiting is active. It’s not scrolling aimlessly on your phone until God “finally does something.” It’s choosing to keep showing up in faith—even when nothing looks different yet.

Isaiah 40:31 says, “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.” That’s not passive. That’s power.

Think of waiting like pregnancy. Something is growing, developing, shifting—even if you can’t see it yet. And yes, it’s uncomfortable, but it leads to birth.

6. Laugh a Little (Seriously, It’s Medicine)

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine.” Sometimes the holiest thing you can do in the middle of your chaos is laugh at a dumb meme, rewatch your favorite sitcom, or tell a ridiculous story about how your life is currently a sitcom.

Laughter doesn’t mean you’re ignoring the pain—it means you’re not letting the pain steal all the joy.

7. Remember: This Season Has an Expiration Date

When you’re in the middle of it, pain feels permanent. Like this valley is your forever home. But seasons shift. God doesn’t leave us stuck.

Psalm 30:5 says, “Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

Morning always comes. Even when the night feels endless.

Final Thought

If your emotions are messy, you’re not failing God—you’re human. He’s not asking you to have it all together; He’s asking you to trust Him while you don’t.

So cry, laugh, breathe, pray, scream into the pillow if you need to. Just don’t quit. God’s holding you steady, even when everything else feels upside down.

A Prayer for the Upside-Down Days

Father,

You see me. You see the fear, the tears, the chaos in my heart. And still, You love me. Today, I surrender this mess into Your hands. Steady me when I feel shaken. Quiet my racing thoughts. Remind me that You are faithful, even when I can’t see the ending yet. Give me strength to wait, courage to trust, and peace that doesn’t make sense. Thank You that this storm will pass, and joy will rise again.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

With love, tears, and tons of grace,

Adrienne K.