Mama Said There’d Be Days Like This

I had a hard day recently.

A day when the hours were long and the needs were great.

A day when my patience was running low and tempers were flaring high…

almost as high as the pile of dishes in the sink.

Have you ever had a day like this?

It wasn’t my first…and it won’t be my last.

And it’s not my kids’ fault, either. I’m pretty sure I remember having days like this in other ways before I was blessed with children…

and I’m equally sure I’ll keep having them in other ways when the kids are long gone from my home.

So what do we do on days like this?

Days when naptime can’t come soon enough and then it’s already over and bedtime seems like it’s too far away and I just don’t have enough.

Days when coworkers are irritating and so is the boss (or maybe it’s your employees, if you are the boss) and you just don’t have enough.

Days when friends disappoint us and circumstances discourage us and we just don’t have enough.

Days when you’re serving needy people who don’t realize they should also be thankful people and you just don’t have enough.

Enough hands.

Enough ears.

Enough kindness.

Enough energy.

Enough minutes.

Enough patience.

Enough wisdom.

Enough love.

Enough…anything.

What do we do?

When surviving seems unlikely, and thriving impossible?

We remind ourselves of the truth. And then we claim it.

Even though it takes more effort we’re already sorely lacking.

Even though the truth sometimes doesn’t feel true.

Faith is knowing the truth is always true…even when it doesn’t feel like it.

And what is the truth?

Ideally, we could press “pause” on days like this, and then dash over to our Bibles, fall on our knees, read truth in God’s Word and then receive it through prayer.

But unfortunately, just because they’ve figured out how to pause live TV doesn’t mean we get to pause life.

So we need some truth in our back pocket. Truth we can whip out and tell ourselves on days like this. Truth that has been hidden in our hearts like precious treasure waiting to be rediscovered and put to use.

Here is one truth I keep close for days like this:

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

That’s a whole lotta “all”…a whole lotta “abundance.” All and abundance I can claim in the busy-ness of days like this.

This verse is a beautiful illustration of one of the many things I pretty much adore about God’s Word. The context of this verse is a discussion of giving. Not the energy, love, and service kind. Or the blood, sweat, and tears kind. But the cold, hard cash kind.

But God’s abundant provision is about so much more than just money. Money is only a single drop in the vast ocean of His provision.

And so He, through the hand of Paul, penned this verse in a way that’s vague, but still awe-strikingly, jaw-droppingly powerful. So its meaning was clear to the Corinthians receiving the letter. But it’s also clear for me. On days like this.

And I think He does this on purpose, so that no matter the need…no matter what it is I lack…

I. CAN. ABOUND.

I can abound by acknowledging that even though it’s not fun to feel so utterly depleted, it’s this way by design so I don’t somehow get the crazy idea that I don’t need Him. That I’m fine without Him. And so nobody else gets that idea about me either.

I can abound by crying out to the Lord to help me…to strengthen me and be strong for me…to give me enough.

And He promises to do it.

I’m learning that one of the things God seems to love is intentionally giving me more than I can handle…

so there’s no question Who is handling it for me.

And here’s the amazing, mind-blowing reality of surviving and even thriving on days like this…

days full of too much…

days full of more than I can handle:

I’m living proof of God Himself.

And that changes my mindset completely.

So instead of complaining about the kids or the dishes or my complete lack of enough-ness, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses... For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:9-10). 

His truth is waiting to be claimed. His faithfulness is waiting to be tried. And His grace is waiting to be enough…especially on days like this.

~~

Do you have a “go-to” passage for days like this? Please take a moment and encourage us by sharing!

Written by Jennifer Clarke