Today is Have a Bad Day Day.

We all have had our share of bad days. You remember—like the day when you got up late for school, you couldn’t find a pair of socks that matched, your hair wouldn’t lie down straight, and then you discovered that your dog really had eaten your homework.

And that’s before you even walked out the door! It got worse. You ran into your first class only to hear your teacher say, “Put your books away. We’re having a pop quiz.” Then you discovered at lunch that you picked up your brother’s lunch instead of yours. And he likes sardines with peanut butter! Do you need to hear more?

The apostle Paul had a couple of very bad, no-good, horrible days. In fact, he probably could claim he had some bad, no-good, horrible weeks, months, even years. Listen to some of what Paul experienced as he carried the gospel of Jesus Christ from place to place: “Five different times the Jews gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked . . . “ (2 Corinthians 11:24-25.) Paul lived with weariness, pain, sleepless nights. He went without food, clothing, or water.

Talk about your bad days! And what was Paul’s reaction to all that he experienced? He was glad. Why? Because Paul had learned that through his weaknesses, through his very worst moments, Jesus’ strength and power were demonstrated. At his very lowest, Paul was able to have confidence and courage because of Jesus’ words: “My power works best in your weaknesses.”

The same is true for you. Jesus promises to be there when all else is falling apart in your life. So bring it on. Have a Bad Day Day—and don’t sweat it.

Each time he said, “My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me (2 Corinthians 12:9).

To Do

Ask someone in your family to tell you about their “very bad, no-good” day. Then tell them why it really wasn’t so bad, after all.

Also on this day

1863—Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address.

1895—The “paper pencil” was patented by Frederick E. Blaisdell.

1954—Two automatic toll collectors were placed in service on the Garden State Parkway in New Jersey.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.