IT IS JUST A BAD DAY, NOT A BAD LIFE.

Jonathan McReynolds sang a song that says:

May your struggles keep you near the cross;

May your troubles show that you need God;

May your battles in the way they should;

May your bad days prove that God is good;

Let your whole life prove that God is good.

                                                               

The above song is so instructive and can be seen as a prayer. The song caught my attention the first time I heard it. Looking carefully at the lines of the song, my eyes were opened to the insights the song has. The song shows that there are struggles, troubles, battles and bad days in life but they should lead us somewhere and each of them has a purpose.

The first line says: May your struggles keep you near the cross:  This shows that struggles can lead you somewhere. When people struggle in life, some become depressed, get involved in sinful acts, alcohol and so on. But your struggles should lead you to the cross. The cross of Christ according to someone is the will of God joyfully and willingly accepted. The cross is the place where Christ obtained peace, liberty, good health and so on for us. It is a place where Christ said, ''it is finished’’ and a place of death to sin and the world. It is a place where victory over battles,  struggles and troubles was obtained for us. 

The second line says, ''May your troubles show that you need God?’’:  When we have problems or troubles many times, we tend to indulge in destructive activities. We also forget God, run to people and our circle of influence who could help us out. But we end up disappointed. This shows that with each trouble, we need God and not men. However, He will use men to help us in those times of pains and regrets. 
Most troubles we are faced with are far beyond us and even the people we run to and the people around us. So, running to men for help in times of troubles could be an exercise in futility. No wonder the bible says that the name of the lord is a strong tower and the righteous run to it and they are saved.

''May your battles in the way they should’’: Battles are supposed to lead us in a way or in a particular direction. They are supposed to make us stronger, make us wiser, build capacity in us and so on. Every battle comes in a unique way and they come with lessons to be learnt. If you ignore the vital lessons you are supposed to learn or understanding you are supposed to get, you have missed the essence of the battles in your life. When you sit with a General who has been involved in various battles and wars, you will appreciate it better. In other words,  there are lessons to be learnt from each struggle you experience.

''May your bad days prove that God is good?’’: From time to time, we all have bad days. Bad days can be seen as days of pain, costly mistakes, regrets, anger, persecutions, night seasons and so on. But whatever you are going through, I would like you to know that God is good. When you feel like the world is against you, God is good. When things do not look right and you are on the verge of throwing in the towel, God is still good.

''Let your whole life prove that God is good’’: In the midst of all the challenges, let your life prove that God is good. When people see you, they should see God at work despite your pain, trials and issues. Your life should prove that God is good all the time. It should also show that if God is with you, no battles, plots of men and struggles will prevail against you. Your life and bad days should prove to all that we serve a good God and that He is the rewarder of them who diligently seek him.

The period of pain, bad days and mourning could be days of understanding if only your eyes are opened to it. Ecclesiastes 7: 3 GNT says, ''Sorrow is better than laughter; it may sadden your face, but it sharpens your understanding”.