It's OK to have a bad day

I was hangin with a friend from college tonight - it was a blessing! She has been going through some tough stuff and it was so good to talk to her. The most encouraging part of her bad stuff is that her relationship with Jesus has sky-rocketed! It made me think of James 1:2-3 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." I thought of how many bad days I've had (lately, it's been what seems like a lot) and how I reacted to those bad days. I can either consider it "pure joy" or I can be angry at the world. Most of the time I end up yelling at God, sometimes in my journal or sometimes literally yelling, and breaking down in tears. There have been days when I thank God for my bad day and use the angry energy as fuel for prayer or a quiet time or just to be still and listen for the sweet voice of Jesus to comfort me. I wish I could say that I always react this way, but I am human and I don't. I would be a liar to say that I always react the right way.

I recently read 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 and it opened my eyes to God so much. I encourage you to read it. I want to share vs. 7-9 with you. "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in [your] weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."

I encourage you, the next time you have a bad day, to consider how you will deal with it. You can blow up and be angry at the world OR you can consider it a growing pain that will bring you one step closer to Jesus.

Blessings to you all, Dina