How to never have another bad day

(photo credit: entrepreneur.com)

When my kids were little, we often read to them the classic children’s book, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.

We've all had those days, right?  The day starts off with a malfunctioning alarm clock or a headache or an early morning phone call or text message.  It gets us off on the wrong foot. As Mrs. Sweetie says, “Some days I wake up grumpy. Other days I let him sleep.”

And the day continues: late for work … intolerant boss … insubordinate employees … unreasonable customers … unreliable vendors … indigestion after lunch … spilled coffee … speeding ticket on the way home … you get the point.

And then there are those days that put the previously mentioned events in perspective:  a bad medical report … death of a loved one … divorce papers … civil litigation … really bad days.

What if there were a way to never have another bad day?  Well, sign me up!

Actually, I’m already signed up.  If you were to ask me when was the last bad day I had, I couldn't identify one. If you don’t know me, you might think I’m either exaggerating, flat out lying, or that my life has been amazingly trouble free.  Not so.  I have experienced every one of those things I mentioned, with the exception of civil litigation (and the divorce papers were my parents’, not mine).  If you've read my columns over the past few weeks, you know that I have suffered deep loss and grief recently.  And yet, I can’t think of a bad day.  How can that be?

The secret is perspective.  My perspective is that life is not made up of days, but of moments.  Even in the darkest days (and I have had some stretches that were so dark that medication was necessary), there are still moments where I can see God’s grace.  On the worst of days, there are God-moments: a note, phone call or email of encouragement … an unexpected hug … encouraging words from the pages of Scripture … words of affection, appreciation, or affirmation … and sometimes nothing more than remembering some of God’s promises to those who belong to Him.

Joshua 1:5 - I will never leave you nor forsake you ... Matthew 28:20 - I am with you always, to the very end of the age … Philippians 4:7 - The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus … Jeremiah 29:11 - I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future … 1 Peter 5:7 - Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Our lives, and our days, matter so much to God that He invades our moments with reminders of His goodness.

Goodbye, bad days.  Hello, God-moments.

Question:  How can you begin to shift your focus from days to moments?

Leave a comment below.  I'd love to hear your perspective.