“For His anger lasts only a moment,
but His favor, a lifetime.
Weeping may spend the night,
but there is joy in the morning.”
- Psalm 30:5 HCSB
Now I’m just an old dog, and I don’t know much about calendars or deadlines. I guess every day is a good day if the food bowl rattles and somebody scratches behind my ears.
But even an old dog knows some days just don’t go according to plan.
The other day, my human came home carrying one of those bad days.
He took deep breaths and sighed a lot and talked about things not working out right. Folks had disappointed him, plans had changed, and all he wanted to do was sit still and be quiet.
My job was simple. I laid my head on his knee and stayed close. Dogs don’t say much, but we know how to stay.
But then something happened.
He opened his Bible.
Not the television.
Not his phone.
The Bible.
Pretty soon he was reading out loud from Psalm 30:5, “Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
Then he read Romans 8:28 and Philippians 4:6-7.
I watched as that frown started easing up just a little.
You see, I learned something that evening.
The circumstances hadn’t changed.
But my human had.
His shoulders relaxed.
His voice softened.
Before long, he scratched behind my ears and said, “Old buddy, we’re not letting a bad day win.”
That’ll preach.
Jesus told His followers, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world”
- John 16:33
Bad days happen.
Flat tires happen.
Hard conversations happen.
People disappoint us.
Plans fall apart.
But a bad day doesn’t have to become a bad attitude, and a bad moment doesn’t have to become a bad life.
Even faithful folks have bad days.
Elijah had one under the broom tree (1 Kings 19).
David had plenty of them in the Psalms.
Even the disciples had storms that made them wonder if they’d make it through.
Trouble isn’t proof that God has left us.
Sometimes it’s where God reminds us He’s still there.
That night, my human said something before turning out the lights.
“Today was hard, but I’m not giving this day the final word. God gets the final word.”
I liked that.
So if you’re carrying a bad day around, don’t let it win.
Don’t unpack and build a house there.
Hand it to Jesus.
Pray.
Rest.
Trust Him with tomorrow.
The same Lord who walked with Daniel in the lion’s den, Paul in prison, and the disciples through the storm is walking with you too.
And if all else fails, find a shady spot on the porch, thank God for another day, and remember what this old dog knows—
Tomorrow’s mercies are already on the way.
Prayer: Lord, thank You that bad days do not mean You are absent. Help us not to let discouragement win. Teach us to trust You through the hard days and rest in Your promises. Remind us that Your mercies are new every morning. Amen.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
