Yesterday I had what I call a “lost day.” I hate lost days. I know that is a strong word. As matter of fact I tell my grandchildren
the same thing when they say it.
When I hear it coming out of their mouth I usually respond gently with,
“Wow. Hate’s a pretty strong
word. Maybe you could say, I really
don’t like that, or, that really frustrates me or makes me sad, etc. Remember, there is power in your
words.” NOW I’m convicted to
rephrase. Hmmm…….let me see….
I strongly dislike lost days, BUT I choose to be joyful because
I know I’m going to learn and grow from this experience. You may be thinking that sounds like a
trite Christian cliché, but don’t dismiss it. It is true. It is a winning attitude.
James 1:2 tells us to “count it all joy when you fall into
various trials…” The study note in my Spirit Filled Life Bible states it
perfectly:
“The proper attitude in meeting adversity is to count it all
joy, which is not an emotional reaction but a deliberate intelligent appraisal
of the situation from God’s perspective, viewing trials as a means of moral and
spiritual growth. We do not
rejoice in the trials themselves, but in their possible results.” As you read on, you will see my story
about how we often bring trials upon ourselves. No condemnation here folks, it
just true! And there’s a way out!
Last night as I was lying in bed unable to sleep and feeling
pitiful and gross, I began to talk to God and ask, what happened here? You know I really wanted to go to Bible
Study; I really wanted to have a great and productive day. Ohhhhhh, when we ask – He does
answer.
He began to show me the chain of events from the last 24
hours. EVERYTHING connects.
I am currently on a journey with my family to change our
lifestyle in the areas of nutrition and exercise. I am also in the midst of a slowly successful process of
weaning from sleep medications I’ve taken for years. There are certain things I
must be disciplined in to be able to sleep. It all starts with getting up and going to bed at the same
time – every day, even the weekends.
I need to be in my bed very early because I need a lot of sleep and
currently it can take hours to fall asleep. (That will not always be the case.) It is also important to
be off of all electronics at least an hour before bed. The right kind of exercise early in the
day is crucial. (None of these things have been easy for me, but that is
another blog for another day!)
As I was lying in bed the Lord showed me all of the things I
didn’t do in this chain of events the day before. He wasn’t mean, He wasn’t mad, He wasn’t even
disappointed. He was Abba. He was
a loving and disciplining Daddy who was answering my question. I really wanted to understand – and He
really loves to help me.
The results of my actions the day before including not
sticking to the disciplines, not eating the right foods, and being too lazy to
go to the store and get something I needed caught up with me. I got up on time yesterday, fixed my
honey’s breakfast and lunch, and felt HORRIBLE. I had to cancel my morning appointment and my day went
downhill. It was like a
slow-motion train sliding down a muddy mountain and I felt unable to stop
it.
As God was showing me the chain of events I also see that I
have said something to someone that wasn’t 100% true. WHAT? Yes, I
did. It was small, but wrong. OH! OH NO! THAT was
the problem? That was the thing
that put it over the top and sunk my day?
That tiny little thing? Or
is that BIG lie? I mean, a lie is
a lie is a lie – no matter how big or small. An exaggeration is not a truth. I realized in an instant that I had brought my lost day upon
myself – and in that same instant I cried out to God for forgiveness. I was so sorry. Not because I was sick, but because in
the light of His love and gentleness to me I was truly repentant. I was once again reminded of my own
sinful nature. We must always have
our guard up. The simple
disciplines of our lives have purpose.
They all fit together and have a ripple effect on everything and
everyone in our lives. That is not
an exaggeration. It is truth. We
reap and sow in constant motion, for our own lives and those around us. Good, bad, or indifferent, we are
sowing something every moment.
As I lay on my bed praying, seeing, repenting, and soaking
in love and forgiveness I knew the dawn would bring a new day. I was reminded last week that His
mercies are new every morning. It
is really true. His love, mercy,
kindness, forgiveness, grace, and patience – it is all available to us, every
single day. His ways are not our
ways. He is not a man that he
should lie. He is always, always,
always there to HELP us, not to make us feel worse when we are down. He is the kindest Person you will ever
know. Jesus lived on this earth
and He knows every single temptation we face. He understands how hard it is to live on planet earth – it
is not heaven! But He always shows
us the way out. OH how grateful I
am for The Truth in my life!
So my friends, I celebrate my lost day. I learned. I got clean.
His mercy is new today for me, and for you. If we just take the time to ASK HIM what is going on, and
then LISTEN and RESPOND, everything changes. It may be your circumstance, it may be your attitude, but it
does change! Be honest with God
and yourself. Don’t get
defensive. And don’t get stuck in
beating yourself up (I call that belly-button gazing.) Just ask, listen, and obey. If you have to do that 100 times today,
it is better than the alternative.
I had a lost day. In the
past I had lost years. I never
want to go back to that land, and I know that I will not. I have victory – one decision at a time
– His decisions. So can you. What do you need to talk to God about
right now?
