God's Grace in Bad Days

“The LORD’s anger is but for a moment, and His favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Psalm 30:5

Your alarm rings. The morning has come. Another day must be started. “Oh,” you think to yourself, “I hope today is better than yesterday.” Does God have grace for bad days?

Sometimes, bad days teach us something. Other times, we simply have bad days. We think that if we capture the meaning, or the lessons, waiting to be discovered when days get hard we will find some sort of comfort. Truth is, comfort is always there. Whether there is a lesson to be learned or, as in some days, the real pain and trial leave us simply having a bad day, God is faithful and good.

This verse describes both pain from God’s discipline (remember, He disciples those He loves!) and when painful days are simply that: a bad day. God is still faithful and good. His favor, or mercy, is for your good and His glory for a lifetime. His joy comes when the season of sorrow is over.

You see, dear weak and weary soul, the groaning you have when days get hard match the groaning for redemption of all creation since the fall. Paul’s thought shifts forward in Romans 8, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Our weak, failing, aging, groaning, perishable body will one day put on imperishable, raised in glory, power, and spirit (I Corinthians 15:42-44). All because of the work of Christ, dying your death and being raised from the dead as victorious. Christ is our high priest who understands our weakness in bad days, tempted in every way like us, yet He is faithful and without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

God’s grace is sufficient, even on days that are rough. Even when God answers our prayers in ways that bring challenges. God is still faithful and good. God is “God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (II Corinthians 1:3-5).

We may be wounded, weak, and it seems happiness is replaced with stress or an exhausted numbness. Even when you don’t feel like it, worship Christ. Pray. Pray in tears or groaning too deep for words, if you must. Sing. Sing the glad songs of a church triumphant in Christ. Encourage, even when you’re hurt. For He understands, He sees all your failings, and He is still faithful and good. God resists the proud, but He gives grace to the humble. Be humble before Him, even on bad days. For He has grace for bad days.

Heavenly Father, how weak we are in the flesh! How long must we wait for redemption, for Christ to right all wrongs? Grant Your church strength in our weakness, grace for our days get hard. Remind us once again of Your precious gospel! Remind us of the treasure we enjoy in Christ Jesus! Bless us, comfort us, by Your steadfast love and mercy, freely given in Christ Jesus our Savior and Lord. Amen.