More than 50 years ago, a mother, Judith Viorst, wrote a story loosely based on her third child, son Alexander. The children’s book was entitled Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. In the book, Alexander wakes up with gum in his hair, slips on his skateboard, gets snubbed by his best friend… and it goes downhill from there. When asked why she wrote it, Viorst replied, “These days happen to everybody and I think it makes it a lot more tolerable when you think you haven't been singled out.”[1]
How do you respond when you get terrible news at work? Did you get ripped off today? How about shouted down? Stuck in traffic? Something get broken at the house? A health issue came up? A pet made a mess? Betrayed by someone you thought was a friend? The list of potential negatives that could have happened to you today is endless. Maybe you’re down, depressed, shocked, saddened, angry, frustrated, or just ready to throw in the towel. Most of us can tolerate one or two negatives, but when the compounding “bad day” happens (and it will!) we can lose our minds under the weight of all those “terrible, horrible, no good” circumstances. Do you wonder, how does God want you to act in response to a bad day?
The Bible teaches us to trust God through all of life’s encounters, good and bad. When facing a wall of negatives, it’s a more effective response to focus our minds versus our muscles. That is, remember what God says in order to improve our attitude first, and then actions can follow. What does God want you to know when you’ve had a bad day?
God calms. In World War II, the British produced motivational posters and slogans to encourage the people as they suffered from German bombing of their cities. One poster said, “Keep Calm and Carry On”. It was a reminder to continue through their day despite great difficulty and adversity. The Bible, too, gives us this same message—to maintain self-discipline, fortitude and courage during our troubles. We can receive the calming effect of God’s presence when we go to Him in prayer and contemplation.
God wants you to express your worries and anxieties to Him. Scripture says, “Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you” 1 Peter 5:7. God promises, “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” Philippians 5:7. No matter how bad things get, you can experience God’s calming influence, knowing He genuinely cares about what happens to you. God is with you in every circumstance—so keep calm and carry on!
God protects. Bad days often lead us to a sense of isolation—does anybody really care about us personally when negatives beset us? Who is looking out for you on your bad day? The Bible reminds us that “The name of the Lord is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe” Proverbs 18:10. How does God protect us? His Holy Spirit indwells each Christian, the essence of God’s protection. God guides us with His Word, the Bible. And God gives us spiritual armor to weather the difficulties of life (Ephesians 6:10-18). The greatest benefit of God’s protection is that we can know that no matter what happens, we are never alone, and never have to bear a burden by ourselves.
God strengthens. A bad day can suck personal and spiritual energy from you. How many awful days have you had that make you want to curl up in a ball and go to sleep? But God strengthens us when we are weak. When we pray, we find God’s presence and purpose by spending time with Him. When we endure through hard times, we grow to trust God more, and rely on Him and look to Him when we don’t understand bad happenings to us and around us. Deuteronomy 31:6 reminds us, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
God works. The Bible is filled with stories of adversity. You are not the first person to shout to the heavens, “The whole world is against me!” We often see in Scripture that God is working through difficult circumstances to bring about His will and for His purposes. God might be using your bad day to bring about a positive outcome in the life of someone else. Or God may be preparing you for some future challenge. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Indeed, even a bad day can be a part of God’s positive plan for you. And never forget the future hope the Christian has for heaven. Indeed there is no bad day that we suffer through that does not pale in comparison to the bright eternity that awaits us.
As with most children’s books, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day concludes with a simple moral lesson. Despite all the trouble Alexander goes through, his courage and resolve get him through the difficult day. The book assures readers that there's always tomorrow if today is not going their way and that attitude is everything when it comes to tackling frustrating obstacles. Our attitude as adults, going through real life, benefits greatly from trust and dependence on God, who guides and encourages us through each and every bad day.
[1] https://www.npr.org/2022/06/01/1102134950/for-50-years-alexanders-been-having-terrible-horrible-no-good-very-bad-days
Cover photo: Shutterstock
Did you get ripped off today? How about shouted down? Stuck in traffic? Something get broken at the house? A health issue came up? How do you respond when you have a bad day?