Coping with a bad day (Part II)
July 10-11
Coping with a bad day (Part II)
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1
In addition to the words penned by King David, we can also find comfort from those written by Jeremiah. In Jeremiah 15:18, he too seemed to be having a bad day when he says, “Why then does my suffering continue? Why is my wound so incurable? Your help seems as uncertain as a seasonal brook, like a spring that has gone dry.” Even more special is the response from the Lord. He doesn’t get angry with Jeremiah. He listens to him, then gives him a solution in order to move forward. Jeremiah got bogged down by the attitudes and words of people around him and the same can happen to us at times. Critical and condemning words can wear us down. How did Jeremiah get out of his pit, and change his bad day to a good day at the office? Let’s see what advice the Lord gave him in Jeremiah 15:19.
This is how the LORD responds: “If you return to me, I will restore you so you can continue to serve me. If you speak good words rather than worthless ones, you will be my spokesman. You must influence them; (the people round about you) do not let them influence you!”
The Lord tells Jeremiah to speak good and worthy words rather than worthless ones, words which would breathe life into his situation rather than discouragement. And this is a good piece of advice worth implementing both in our own lives and also when relating to others.
Our precious heavenly Father does not get angry with us in our struggles. Instead He comforts us with His words of peace. He clothes us in His strength and wants to help us through. He wants us to talk to Him and tell Him exactly how we feel, about ourselves, our circumstances, simply pouring out our hearts to Him. He can help rebuild our trust if it’s been broken and bring hope where there has been pain, speaking tenderly to us and transforming our valley into a place of hope.
Prayer for today: Dear Lord, thank You for the truth of Your word. Sometimes I get so lost I am unsure if I am coming or going. Somedays I move closer to you, while other days the wind knocks me off my feet as the storm rages. Thank You for always bringing peace and hope to my situation. I surrender my expectations to You, and say “Let your will be done, not mine”. Help me to speak Your words of life into every situation I encounter. In Jesus’ name, Amen.