Since we live in a fallen world, we will have to deal with difficult days throughout our lives. As nice as it would be to have nothing but good days throughout our lives, it is not possible. We will have good days, but we will also have bad days. Through both our good days and difficult days, God will forever be by our sides.
1. Talk with God
Dealing with difficult days is hard. We have all dealt with them at some point in our lives. When I’m having a difficult day, I have found the best thing to do is to talk with God. God wants to hear from you, and He wants you to tell Him about all of your worries (1 Peter 5:7).
It doesn’t matter if your day was great or the worst day ever, God wants to hear about it. It can help you feel better by talking with God about all of the worries, frustrations, and disappointments of the day.
Difficult days are bound to come, yet God will walk with us through them all. Psalm 23 tells us that God will always walk with us through the hills and the valleys.
On our difficult days, we need to turn to God and find comfort in Him. Difficult days will leave us feeling drained and tired, yet our hearts can be renewed by turning to Christ.
2. Read the Bible
Reading the Bible can help you better manage difficult days. By reading the Bible, you will be able to see other Christians throughout history who have undergone difficult hardships. The Book of Job is a great book to turn to when you are having difficult days.
Job can relate to the pain and hardships you are experiencing on difficult days. Through reading the Bible, you can become more aware of the struggles of people in the Bible and how they can relate to your own feelings.
Knowing that we are not alone in our struggles can help us feel a lot better and less isolated. In addition to the Book of Job, the Book of Psalms has great passages to read on hard days. The psalmist is raw and vulnerable in their writings, which can help us in our own struggles.
Oftentimes it is easy to think that individuals in the Bible are perfect or have everything figured out because they are in the Bible, but this is not true. The individuals in the Bible are just like us, fallen and prone to sinning.
Reading the different accounts in the Bible can help us feel less alone in our daily struggles. Jesus also knows what it feels like to deal with pain and difficulties. He can help us and give us relief if we ask Him (Matthew 11:28-30).
3. Do Something You Enjoy
Doing something you genuinely enjoy can help you deal with difficult days. Activities, such as going for a walk, reading a book, watching a movie, meeting up with friends, writing, or drawing are all things that can help you manage difficult days.
Taking time for yourself can help you better manage difficult days. I know from my own experience that if I do an activity I enjoy, such as walking, drawing, or writing, on a difficult day, my day begins to feel better and less difficult. It is amazing how much self-care can help when you’re having a bad day.
Whatever activity you enjoy doing, take time to do it today. Whether you enjoy painting or taking a run, do what makes you feel good and relaxed.
If you want to spend time with other people, you can do that; however, if you would prefer to be alone you can do that instead. Whatever makes you feel more relaxed is what’s important to your overall mental health and wellness.
4. Listen to Music
Listening to music is a great way to deal with difficult days. I highly recommend listening to your favorite worship songs. If you don’t have a favorite worship song, I recommend trying some artists such as Hillsong United, Newsboys, or We Are Messengers.
These are a few of my favorite artists, but there are tons of options within worship music. I have found that listening to a variety of upbeat and slow songs can help you process your emotions on hard days.
The upbeat songs can help you feel more encouraged, and the slow songs can help you feel not so alone in your struggle.
Music has a way of connecting to us on a deeper level than words can. The next time you have a difficult day, turn on your favorite worship song and redirect the focus of your day.
You can listen to the music in your car, on your phone, or you can dance to your favorite songs in your house. As long as you are releasing the difficulties of the day, you are making progress in dealing with difficult days.
5. Journal Your Feelings
Dealing with difficult days can also be done through journaling your feelings. Writing out your feelings can help you process your emotions and thoughts. It is always best to journal your feelings especially if you are having anger toward someone.
It is better to write out your feelings than to get upset with someone and yell at them. In the same way, if you are feeling disappointed, frustrated, or crestfallen, write out your feelings in a journal.
Writing out your feelings on paper can help release the emotions and make you feel better. When a difficult day comes your way, journal your feelings and let them out. Don’t allow them to stay inside of you and fester into bitterness.
Release your feelings and journal them on paper. If you have a difficult time articulating your thoughts on paper, try to just take quick notes or bullet point your feelings.
You don’t have to write an entire essay on your feelings, but rather, just write how you are feeling and try to articulate your feelings onto paper.
Difficult Days
Difficult days will happen to all of us, but it is up to us to manage them appropriately. While it is easier to give in to the difficult day and get angry or upset, we have to deal with difficult days in a manner that brings glory to Christ.
As Christians, it is important that we demonstrate our faith in our actions and resist the desires of the flesh. In your daily life, strive to please God in every area even if you are having a difficult day.
While we are still human and we will continue to mess up, we need to strive to do our best for the Lord and be a light for Him.
Jesus tells us, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
Thus, difficult days will come, but we have to make the decision to not let these hard days get us down. Instead, we need to try to manage our difficult days and continue to shine for Jesus.
For further reading:
What Does the Bible Say about Hard Times?
How Can I Pray When Life Becomes Unexpected?
What Did Jesus Mean That We Will Have Trouble in This World?
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