Tweet

Let’s talk about bad days for a sec. Just a sec, I promise it won’t be long. I want to get something straight before we start because I struggle with this hardcore and I bet tons of others deal with it, too. So my track season this year has been awesome so far! Got a couple PBs, (not peanut butter but peanut butter is super good), hung out with my favorite people, AND qualified for districts in the 3200!!! But despite all that good stuff, our past meet against West Branch, I had a rough day because I lost. And lemme tell ya, Jenna Bartlett HATES losing, especially when it’s someone I constantly lose to. She’s a heck of a lot better than me and I gave it a fair fight, but I just gave up. Then I came home, had a temper tatrum like a four-year-old, then had some mini waffles and everything was okay. But the point is, I was MAD. I thought I should just give up because I’m no good at the sport I love and I should call a quits and throw in the towel and all that. I felt defeated. And all my good juice that I had accomplished throughout the season seemed so distant and irrelevant when I lost against someone really good. But I had an irrational moment and I acted super childish, throwing my spikes around and crying. GUESS WHAT THOUGH? It’s okay.

I am constantly beating myself up for feeling bad. Feeling like I just don’t want to do today. Everyone knows me. I’m happy happy happy and when I don’t feel that way, I think, well, it’s over. I’m never going to feel good again and I won’t live a long happy life with a hot husband, a couple kids, lots of beaches, and a ton of dogs. Man. It’s done. But GUESS WHAT? It’s not done.

It is completely and totally 100% okay to feel as though you should throw in the towel, especially now that this school year is coming to a close. My advice? Hike up your skirt, put your game face on, get in beast mode, and PASS FINALS. At the end, it’s easy to quit and think wow. I can’t do this. HECK YEAH YOU CAN.

Okay, okay, I got off topic, anyways, sometimes we’re going to have bad days. And you feel the good times are over. I have an irrational fear of being sick all the time. I think when I get sick or a get a cold, I’ll never feel better. I’m going to feel like this forever. But THOSE ARE LIES, MY FRIEND. LIES.

What does God say about bad days? He knows bad days are inevitable and doesn’t want you to experience them, HOWEVER, He also wants you to lean on Him in times of trouble. When you don’t feel like you can do today, or tomorrow, or the next day, have a prayer session with God. Let Him know how you are feeling and what’s going on in your life. Most importantly, thank Him before you start asking for help. Sometimes it is difficult to find things to thank Him for in times of distress, but the convo with Him will go a whole lot smoother if you start by thanking Him. If you can’t think of anything, thank Him for the sun, or even the rain outside.

Next, list out how you feel. Let Him in! I understand it is hard. I know it is difficult to give your cares to someone you can’t see. Believe Him without seeing, you will be so glad that you did. Talk to Him. He is your friend. Talk to Him just like you are talking to your friends at school. And if you don’t want to have a full-on prayer session, remember, He is with you all day long. 7 days a week, 24 hours in a day. He never leaves your side. You are free to lean on Him, cry to Him, because He loves you! Allow me to repeat that, HE LOVES YOU!!!!

No matter how ugly your temper tantrums are, or how ugly your cry is, or how ugly you feel that day, or how ugly that last workout was, or how ugly that last test score was—God does not care. He loves you unconditionally day in, and day out. People on earth go this way and that. But God…God is for good and will always be for good. He is always working for you, inside and out. So the next time you lose to someone, or that test score was just horrible, or even that book you loved didn’t come out the way you wanted it to, talk to God. HE CAN HELP YOU IF YOU JUST LET HIM IN. I’M NOT BEING HARD, I’M BEING HONEST. TALK TO HIM. IT TAKES TIME TO DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP, BUT IT IS COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY WORTH IT. NEVER BE ASHAMED OF LOVING THE MAN UPSTAIRS. BECAUSE HE LOVES YOU RIGHT BACK.

 

*When you read the verse below, READ THE ENTIRE THING.

 

P.S. — If this ends up being my last article for the year, this has been amazing and I can’t wait to do this next year! Thank you to everyone’s awesome support and encouragement. Lessons from the Man Upstairs doesn’t stop here. It starts when you look up.

 

Theme: (NLT) We are comforted through the hard times by remembering God’s help in the past. Recalling God’s miracles and previous works can give us courage to continue. Author: Asaph

 

Psalm 77

 

I cry out to God; yes, I shout.

Oh, that God would listen to me!

When I was in deep trouble,

I searched for the Lord,

All night long I prayed, with hands lifted toward heaven,

but my soul was not comforted.

I think of God, and I moan,

overwhelmed with longing for his help.

 

You don’t let me sleep.

I am too distressed even to pray!

I think of the good old days,

long since ended,

when my nights were filled with joyful songs.

I search my soul and ponder the difference now.

Has the Lord rejected me forever?

Will he never again be kind to me?

Is his unfailing love gone forever?

Have his promises permanently failed?

Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has he slammed the door on his compassion?

 

And I said, “This is my fate;

the Most High has turned his hand against me.”

But then I recall all you have done, O Lord;

I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.

They are constantly in my thoughts.

I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.

 

O God, your ways are holy.

Is there any god as mighty as you?

You are the God of great wonders!

You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations.

By your strong arm, you redeemed your people,

the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

 

When the Red Sea saw you, O God,

its waters looked and trembled!

The sea quaked to its very depths.

The clouds poured down rain;

the thunder rumbled in the sky.

Your arrows of lightening flashed.

Your thunder roared from the whirlwind;

the lightning lit up the world!

The earth trembled and shook.

 

Your road led through the sea,

your pathway through the mighty waters—

a pathway no one knew was there!

You led your people along the that road like a flock of sheep,

with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.