Hard Days Can Be Good Days

Take a second and describe your day yesterday.  What was it like? Would you call it good or bad? What about the rest of this week? Do you normally have good or bad days? 

Of course there are bad days. Deaths, sorrows, NICU stays, crushing disappointments, and dissolved relationships all happen. But I'm not talking about those days. I'm talking about normal days and the mishaps of life that happen to us all. We are setting ourselves up for failure and disappointment by calling those "bad days."  We do have hard days; they just aren't necessarily bad. 

photo courtesy of mr lightman/freedigitalphotos.net

Hard days can also be good days. The two adjectives are not mutually exclusive. Easy days are coasting day. You're not growing, or learning, or depending on God. While nice every once in a while, a life of easy days would be quite pointless. Around here, we've had a string of good, hard days lately. Days when God has blessed us with health, purpose, and family. Days when I'm doing what I know God meant for me to be doing. But they are also frustrating days of training small children. Days of leaning on God for strength for the right attitude, tone, words, wisdom. 

What do I need in these good, hard days? A break? Starbucks? A shopping spree? Not really. None of those would have any lasting effect. They wouldn't teach my children. They wouldn't change my heart. They wouldn't strengthen our family. Instead I've gone to what I always need: God. 

I've been clinging to a promise from the Bible. I've found that God gives me verses that impact my day-to-day life and strengthen me through different seasons of life. Right now it's Hebrews 13:5-6. 

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

There is a lot in these verses but here's what's sticking out to me right now. God is my helper. That is amazing when you think about it! God is helping me. He cares so much about my daily life that He is ready to help me train my children, manage my time, love my family. I can claim that promise boldly. I can't exhaust Him by asking for help too many times in one day. He never grows weary of me or my need for help. God sees me in the vastness of the universe and is waiting to help me. God will never leave me. A human helper would have times when they wouldn't be available. God is available around the clock. I never wake Him up talking to Him. He's never surprised or shocked by the situation. He will never leave when He sees my mess. 

-That means when I'm struggling for wisdom and patience in training my children, God is my helper. 

-When my husband isn't coming home for lunch but eats out for work, God is my helper. 

-When I'm fearful about pregnancy and delivery, God is my helper. 

-When I'm overcome with the needs of little people, God is my helper. 

-When I feel judged and condemned by others, God is my helper. 

Hard days can be training small children- not an easy task. Hard days can be rejoicing with others over an opportunity you wanted. Hard days can be loving your family selflessly when you want to demand your rights. Hard days can be lots of different things, depending on your spot in life. You know what makes your days hard. But those hard days can be good days. Good days of accomplishing the work God has given you for that day. Good days of seeing God work in your heart. Good days of knowing that you are investing in the future and in eternity even if you can't see the results now. Good days of obedience to what Christ wants. 

Good, hard days also help you grown.  Growing isn't easy. But in a few weeks, months, or years you will be able to look back and realize that the things that make these days hard are still present. But they don't make life hard anymore. You've learned and grown and you know how to handle those things. The beginning stages of learning can be very uncomfortable. Take heart and hold on! 

I don't need more money, time, resources, or breaks. God is my portion. Often what we need isn't more of whatever we think it is. We need God. We need to let Him use those circumstances that He is in control of to change our hearts to honor Him. Let's not look for an easier life. Instead let's look to God for the help we need for this life.