How to Handle Bad Days

Ever have a day that just starts our rough? Or a day that gets tougher and tougher, frustrating you without fail? How about those weeks that never seem to end?  

Although we can all feel alone in those hard moments and seasons, we have all been there. Here are a few reminders from God to prepare us for what is ahead today, tomorrow, and into the future. May we thank our Heavenly Father for His amazing patience, wisdom, and love to carry and guide us forward.

“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”
Colossians 4:5–6

Suffer Well. Be careful how your speak when your heart is in turmoil.  Don’t make big decisions when you are emotional. Sometimes we respond poorly to situations in the midst of our struggles and we can easily compound and increase our problems. May the Lord guard our minds, tongues, and feet in the midst of tough times.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
Romans 8:18

Perspective & Purpose.  Focus on God in the midst of your difficult days. Remember the suffering of others to keep our own difficulties in perspective. Don’t retreat into a pity party. Our dark days may not be as bad as they feel at the time. It is a truism worth remembering that other people do have it worse. Even when life seems unbearable, Christians have a living God who is with them wherever we go. May the Lord give us courage through His presence!

“Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly”
1 Corinthians 9:25–26

Endure Everything.  Keep pushing forward, even when you feel like quitting. Our Gospel witness is so important. Sometimes we forget about eternity when we are overwhelmed by life. May the Lord give us His strength to push forward for the sake of the good news of Jesus being shared by and seen in us.

“we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.”
1 Corinthians 9:12

Have Hope.  Aim for the finish line of life, longing to meet Jesus. When a runner is really suffering you can see it through their eyes, in their bodies, and on their face. Their eyes glance downward, their bodies hunch over, and their face grimaces with pain.

Something changes in a runner when the finish line is in view. They lift their eyes to the goal, they stand upright in their accomplishment among the crowds, and their face attempts a smile for the finish line photos. Our lives are short, people are watching, & Jesus is ahead.  May the Lord be our hope & focus in the middle of our roughest of rough days!