30-Second Version For Busy People

Bad days are inevitable.

Maybe you're having one right now, and that's why you opened this newsletter. I get it—I'm having a bad day too. But God gave me a better thought that's been helping me through it.

• Better thought: It's a bad day, not a bad life. Don't inflate the bad moments. Don't deflate the good life.

• Better action: Look back to look forward. Do a five-year exercise. What were you struggling with five years ago? Did it resolve itself?

We can't control bad days, but we can control how we respond to them. The world needs Christians who know how to respond to bad days better.

Full Version

Death is a funny thing.

Most people fear it, even though they don’t really know what it is. It’s an enigma that takes everything from us while remaining a mystery. Like staring into the blackness.

I don't mean to be so melancholy (okay, maybe a little), but our A/C unit decided to give up the ghost last night, and it got me thinking a lot about life and death. A Florida summer without A/C will do that to a person.

But really, this was just another piece of bad news on top of an already heaping pile of unfortunate events this week. You know what they say: bad news comes in threes.

During an evening walk the night before, I was already contemplating writing about the topic of bad days, and the A/C's demise seemed like a sign from above that I needed to think more about my response to them.

So, the first thought God gave me became today's better thought. I hope it helps you as much as it’s been helping me over the last 24 hours.

BETTER THOUGHT

Today's better thought: It's a bad day, not a bad life.

Anytime something negative happens in my life, or I have an anxious or sad day, I jump to a conclusion like, "Welp... this is my life now."

I tend to think a bad day will continue and become a bad life.

Can you relate to that? What's your normal way to cope with bad days?

It’s very human to extrapolate negative input—a bad day or a negative feeling—to the rest of our lives. Luckily, our lives were determined only by one moment: Jesus on the cross. Every other moment (good or bad) you have is secondary to that.

Sure, it's not the day you want, but it's the day you were given.

Staying positive doesn’t mean you have to be happy all the time. It means that even on the hard days, you know better ones are coming.

The day is new, and the grave is still empty. Jesus is still the risen Savior, meaning there is hope. Life for every Christian on this side of eternity is burdened by disappointment and difficulty, suffering and struggle, trials and temptation.

No one has or will graduate from their need of hope. Don't let the bad days overshadow the good life you have because of what Jesus did for you.

BETTER ACTION

Today's better action: Look back to look forward.

Put yourself in the shoes of you from 5 years ago.

Try to recall everything you can about five years ago—who you were, what you were doing, how you dressed, etc.

Most of all, try to remember the specific challenges, frustrations, and questions you faced.

• The questions you had: What am I doing? I don’t know what I want to do. I’m falling behind everyone else. How do I find my place in life?

• The way you identified yourself: I don’t like the way I look. I only look good from my right side, I feel skinny, overweight, etc.

• The things that made you anxious: I’m not good enough. I have to prove something to my parents, my friends, etc. I need more money to be happy, etc.

Now, flash forward to today.

How many of those challenges, negative emotions, questions, and insecurities remain in your life today in the same form?

I’m willing to bet that even if you’re still working on them in some sense, you've largely answered them or developed a purpose through them and moved on to new questions and new challenges.

When you look back openly and honestly, you'll realize that five years ago, you had many questions, assumptions, and doubts—similar to the ones you’re feeling now.

The things that pulled at you five years ago DID NOT become your life.

Apply that same reminder to the things that pull at you today. Time offers you an incredible gift.

Hit "reply” and let me know what resonated with you this week!

BECOMING A BETTER CHRISTIAN

When Christians get better, everyone gets better. Here are a few ways I am getting better this week.

• I have quoted pastor and author Paul Tripp before. His newsletter hit me between the eyes this week. Here is a quote I'm still thinking about, “Don’t be duped into silence. Behind the façade of public personas, everyone struggles just like you in their private life. Those struggles may appear slightly different, but everyone lives with indwelling sin, trapped inside a broken body, residing in a fallen world, waiting for complete redemption.”

• My church family is about to begin a sermon series in the book of Colossians. I have never preached out of the book and am looking forward to it. If you are interested in following along, we begin in August.

• I am currently working through the audiobook The Mountain Is You. If you struggle with self-sabotage, it might be worth a listen. The book inspired some of the content in today's newsletter.

Hit "reply" and let me know what you're doing!

Trivia - Because everyone loves trivia night.

Be Better,

~ Payton