Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church in Dallas, TX wrote, “December 26th and January 2nd. What do these dates have in common? Each has the potential to be a bad day. Have you discovered that after a day of celebration or some momentous event, there can be a letdown?
Folks, as long as we are in this present world and Satan is on the prowl, you can be assured you will have bad days. He will do everything he can to rob you of your joy. In Job 5:1 we read, ”Yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” The New Living Translation is similar. “People are born for trouble, as readily as sparks fly up from a fire.”
Jesus said the same thing in John 16:33. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Jesus was victorious in the way He handled trials and the cross. I love the way on the cross He declared, “It is finished.” That was not a cry of defeat but a declaration of victory. He wants us to share in His victory just as He was resurrected three days after His death. The grave could not hold Him.
What kind of life experiences bring on bad days?
· The loss of a loved one or being deserted by a friend
· Other kinds of loss – your health, your job or investments, unexpected repairs on your home or automobile, someone accusing you of something you know is not true
Job, in one day, lost his children, possessions, and health. His wife encouraged him to curse God and die, and friends said that all of these bad things happened because of sin in his life. Still, he was able to say in Job 1:21, “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
· You can expect a bad day after a day or season of success. Satan does not want us to praise and glorify the Lord in our success. So, he bombards us in ways that make us question God’s love for us and even wonder if our faith is real.
So, how do we deal with bad days? How do we rebound?
1. We need to refresh ourselves physically. I have sleep apnea and don’t often get a good night’s sleep period. I believe sleep is a gift from God. In Psalm 127:2 NLT we read, “It is useless for you to work so hard, from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to His loved ones.”
Lately, when I crawl into bed, I turn off what happened during the day or what might happen tomorrow. Instead, I thank the Lord that He has promised me rest. I ask Him to put me to sleep and watch over me through the night. Folks, in the last couple of weeks, I have been getting some of the best sleep I’ve had in years.
2. We need to strengthen ourselves spiritually. In I Samuel 30, we read how the Amalekites had made a raid on Negev and Ziklag. They had crushed Ziklag and burned it to the ground. They carried off the women and children. We read that when David saw the ruins and realized what happened to their loved ones “they wept until they could weep no more.” In verse six we read, “But David found strength in the Lord his God.”
As you go on and read the rest of the chapter you find David locating the Amalekites who were celebrating what they had done. In verses 17-20, you will find David and his troops rushing against the Amalekites, destroying them and regaining their families and friends, plus all the loot the Amalekites had gathered.
If you are going to make it through a bad day or season, you need to learn how to strengthen yourself in the Lord.
· Embrace the promises God has given us in His word. In other words, believe God. Trust Him.
· Read accounts in the Bible where God gave His people great success over their enemies, losses, etc. Remember, God loves you as much as He loved them. You are precious to Him. Ask Him to give you the same kind of victory He gave them.
· Read capital a period capital A. W. Tozer’s book The Knowledge of the Holy and J. I. Packer’s book Knowing God. These two books focus on the attributes of God.
· Spend quality time in prayer sharing your heart with God and asking Him to reveal Himself to you.
3. We need to strengthen ourselves emotionally. In Hebrews 10:24-25 we read, “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.”
It is encouraging to have a support group you can trust and with whom you can bear your soul. I am happy we can livestream our services, but that doesn’t come close to rubbing shoulders with brothers and sisters in Christ who will help carry your load.
I hope this meditation will help you to deal with your bad days. We all have them, but with God’s help, we can overcome them.
In Christ,
Pastor Leonard