The Wrong Side of the Bed

How do you live as a Christian when you wake up to a bad day? I'm not talking about when things go wrong during the day- I mean those days when you not only wake up on the wrong side of the bed, but get up and start you day from there too. How do you give a defense for the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15) without giving offense because the hope within you seemed to drain out during your sleep last night?

I'll be honest- that was today for me. And that has been quite a few days over my lifetime. So what do I do? I've been working on that:

1. Be brutally honest with myself first, and God second. We have to admit to ourselves that we are in a foul, depressed, anxious, or ornery mood first, because we often love to throw that blame elsewhere. Then, we need to go to God* with it: It's not like He doesn't know already. There is something about telling Him that in prayer that is a little healing.
   *Hint: When going to God about your foul mood, don't fuss at Him for it, like it's His fault. (Oh, you know there are times you do...) Instead ask Him to give you the strength to change it because you obviously can't on your own.

2. Read your Bible. This is the difficult part because it takes time and you're not going to want to since your are already cranky. Do it anyway. Let some of that orneriness be directed into making yourself read it because you "won't take no for an answer".

3. Play the right kind of music. No, I'm not going to tell you it has to be a certain style, but it shouldn't have ungodly lyrics. If you're not sure if it does check it against these verses - Galatians 5:19-21 - or just pick something else. In our house we call Barlow Girl, "Music to calm the savage beast" for my youngest son. I lean toward movie scores and sounds like Enya. God created us to be musical and we will be for eternity (Just read Revelation), so know yourself. Pay attention to how music affects you and use it to your advantage. (Otherwise you just might annoy yourself even further! Proverbs 25:20 )

The most important thing, is don't stew in it. Sometimes I just want to be in a bad mood, but that is not who we are to be for the sake of the Gospel. I've had to ask myself, "Is continuing to be in a bad mood worth  deliberately disobeying God?" No.

All this is not to say you - and I - still won't have bad days. They will just be fewer and further between. Also, as I struggle to get out of it, I learn even more how desperately I need Him! Remember, He won't leave you there.

The humble will eat and be satisfied; 
    those who seek the LORD will praise Him.
    May your hearts live forever!
Psalm 22:26
Happy are those who keep His decrees
    and seek Him with all their heart.
Psalm 119:2

Blessed Are: The Merciful

Blessed are those who are merciful, because they will be shown mercy.
Matthew 5:7

What does it mean to have mercy? Is it just another word for compassion, or something more?

Both have an element of forgiveness in them, yet I believe that in general humans show compassion easier than mercy. Compassion heavily involves the emotions of the heart. If we feel sorry for, love, or are able to empathize with someone, we tend to forgive them and do nice things for them without much effort. Mercy on the other hand, is still an attitude of the heart, but is rooted in obedience and love for God. In other words, you can have mercy on someone you don't care for at all because you care so much for God.

Now, the tricky thing about mercy is that just because we portray it, doesn't mean we have it. Proverbs 12:10 says, "A righteous man cares about his animal's health, but even the merciful acts of the wicked are cruel." Though the wicked man showed what he considered to be mercy out of obedience to law, or whatever ruled him, but it was still considered to be cruel. His mercy was rooted in obedience, yet not at all in love.

So how does that work concerning the mercy we will receive? Some of it between humans is that old cliché "What goes around, comes around." God however, will show us mercy instead of justice, when we show mercy to others. The law He is obeying is His own. 

"Let your eyes be turned to me, and have mercy on me, as it is right for you to do to those who are lovers of your name." Psalms 119:132 (BBE)

"...For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." Exodus 20:5b-6 (NKJV)


We will receive mercy when we show mercy, and one of the blessings we will receive from the Lord is His faithful and loving mercy while still in this life. Why? Paul says it best...


"But I received mercy because of this, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate the utmost patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life." 1 Timothy 1:16