Monday was supposed to be a catch-up day. A holiday. No school. No commitments. I had a plan. Then circumstances conspired to ruin said plan. Day also ruined. (Accompanied by unsanctified speech and dog-kicking. Not really. I didn't kick the dog.) I finished the day further behind, and far more agitated than I started. Not a unique experience, I'm sure.
When a day goes south that way, how should I respond?
1. Reaffirm the sovereignty of God. Even though I think I set my schedule for the day, God does. "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." Proverbs 16:9 NLT
2. Redeem the experience. Because He is in control, everything serves a purpose. Is that purpose always clear? Hardly ever. But God works in every experience and situation to make me more Christ-like. "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him." Philippians 2:13 NLT
3. Respond with peace and humility. This is where the Christlikeness comes in. Responding to a bad day with frustration is typical, expected even. Choosing peace over aggravation requires letting go of that sense of injustice. (I was robbed of a free day. That's not fair.) Then it means an additional step of relinquishing control of my day and my schedule to God. Back to Proverbs 16:9. My control over my schedule is just an illusion anyway.
How do you respond to a bad day? What have you learned from them?