How do you react when you are having a bad day?

Lets face it, we all have bad days from time to time.
We all can have days that leave you crying out AAARRRHHH!!!!!!!!

So how do you act or react when a bad day comes your way?

Do you scream out at anyone near you? (unfortunately those closest to us can bear the brunt of this.)
Do you go and hit something? (hopefully not breaking whatever it is your hitting, and most definitely hopefully not a person or pet.)

Or do you just crawl off to a quiet place to hide and wait for the day to end singing, The sun will come out tomorrow, bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, will be OK. (Just like the little girl with red cotton candy curls sings in a film.)

None of the above options really help us that much.
They may be a small release, but is there a better option?

I believe there is a better option.
Like all better options it’s not an easy one to put into practice but it can bring a release that goes to another level.
One that can bring in a victory.

So what is it I hear you say?

Seek the Lord your God and call on him to help you!

Simple really, isn’t it…???

Maybe not so simple when all you want to do is all of the above.
So How can you do it?

You could try the, singing a song idea.
No not the song mentioned above but a different one.

Incidentally, do you know who the true author of that song, “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow” is …???
I’m not talking about who wrote it but the one who inspired it…???

I believe it is the enemy himself, the deceiver, the father of lies.
Before you go off and call me whatever it is that’s in your mind right now, please, just give me a chance and I’ll explain.

What is the message of that song….???
Give up on today! Today is done! You have been beaten today, so just give up and try again tomorrow. (It sounds all the more convincing if you say the above with a bit of a growl in your tone of voice.)

The problem with singing that song today is that tomorrow still has troubles of its own to deal with, which will try to lead you to singing the same song over and over again.
A song of eternal defeat.

This is why I believe this song is a song from the enemy!

There is a different song you can try to sing in its place.

This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made.
I WILL rejoice, I WILL rejoice and be glad in it!, and be glad in it.
This is the day that the Lord has made.
I WILL rejoice and be glad in it!
This is the day, this is the day that the Lord has made.

As I have said it can be a hard thing to put into practise, but it can bring about a victory. (Even if it is only in your heart and mind but this is where the victory has to come first).

There is an incidence in the bible where we can see this principle in action. Can you guess which part I’m thinking of….?

Well, I’m thinking of Paul and Silas when they were locked up in the inner cell of the prison, with feet fastened into stocks. And this was after having been stripped, beaten and flogged. Acts 16 vs 16-40

Well, they were having a VERY BAD day!
They were Roman Citizens and should not have been treated in such a way.

We may think we have human rights but they had Roman Rights!
They should have been protected by Rome!
We can see how they should have been protected in Acts 22 vs 25 when on another occasion when Paul was about to be flogged he asked
“Is it legal for you to flog a Roman citizen who hasn’t been found guilty?”
On that occasion Paul wasn’t flogged because of his Roman Citizen Rights.
But back in chapter 16 he had his rights abused.

He had every right to complain!
He could have said “I am a Roman Citizen, How Dare you treat me this way!”
But he didn’t. instead he (and Silas) looked to their citizenship in GOD!
He looked to a higher power.
Father in Heaven.

How did they look to their Father in heaven?
Well they were both were singing, even though they were beaten, battered and bruised.
They were singing even though they had had such a very bad day.

When I first read this passage I had a bit of a romantic view that God must have enabled Paul and Silas to worship after having such a bad day. After all, how else could they have done it? Surely God must have inspired them with power from on high…???

I now think that the reality is some what less dramatic. I now think that they were singing because they needed to. You see, I think they knew they needed to draw close to God and singing was the method they were using to do this.

This turned my thinking on it’s head.
They were singing because they needed to, not because they were inspired to by a power from on high. (How ordinary.)

What happened after they had been singing for a while?

They not only saw the victory in there hearts and minds but also in the reality of their situation.

There was an earthquake, the doors were opened and even the jailer and his house hold came to salvation. (You need to read Acts 16 vs 16-40 to get the whole account.)

This all happened because they made the decision to sing rather than complain.

The miracle happened after worshiping.

So can we do likewise?
When things don’t go our way instead of doing all the wrong things can we instead turn to God, using whatever method works for you to enter into his presence?
Can we try to seek His face, His help and His assistance?

It is the better option.

Father.
Help us to always look to you.
When times are good and also when times are not so good.
Help us to seek and trust you always.
Amen.