When It Looks Like A Tough Day

On the outside, it looks as if it could be a tough day.

It’s a foggy, dreary morning here in Iowa.

It’s a Monday.

And to top it off, we’re starting the week after turning our clocks forward over the weekend, and many of us struggle adjusting to the Daylight Saving Time change.

It would be easy to let the outside forces win.

It would also be easy to pile on on all the other things going on in our lives.

Troubles at work, at home. Financial or marriage stress. Sickness, death. Loneliness and helplessness. Bad news, bad breaks, bad hair days. Everywhere we look, trouble is staring back at us.

We all have trouble, don’t we?? We all seem to have something we’re dealing with. We all have stuff. And when I compare my stuff with the stuff of others, I see I have nothing to complain about. My troubles are minor.

But still, the troubles are there.

So, if the day is stacked against us, and we pile on our troubles, it surely looks like it’s going to be a tough day.

And that’s what the enemy of our souls wants us to believe. But, we don’t need to believe that lie.

I was reminded by my pastor yesterday the peace of Jesus is always with us. But some days the troubles of this world weigh us down, and before we know it, we’ve turned our focus off of hope–off of Jesus–and on to our troubles.

How about today, let’s turn our focus back to where it belongs?

Back to where the hope is.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8

Instead of looking at our troubles, let’s look at Jesus. Instead of contemplating how we’re going to figure this tough thing out, let’s ask Jesus to figure it out for us. Instead of seeing the obstacle in front of us, let’s see the possibilities of how God is going to use it. And instead of viewing life through what’s going on around us, let’s view it from what God is doing in us.

When we do, we’ll receive what’s promised in the end of verse 9 of Philippians 4:

Then the God of peace will be with you.

I could use some peace today. How about you??

Friend, what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable that you fix your thoughts on today? 

Praying God blesses you with His presence and peace as you do so.

Instead of a tough day, we can believe it’ll be a great day!

Much love,

Julie