Jump Start # 1123

James 5:13 “Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray. Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises.”

It seems that most of life is made up of one of three kinds of days. First, there are great days in which we are bathed in the blessings of God. Weddings are like that. The birth of children are like that. Yesterday was one of those days for us. Our daughter gave birth to a baby girl. We welcomed Brynnlee Grace into our family and this world. Cute, sweet and special. Many prayers were offered. Many thanksgivings were said. Pictures taken. Phone calls made. Post put on Facebook. It was a great day.

Then some days are just the opposite, they are very sad. As we were at the hospital rejoicing with a birth, a dear friend was making his first trip to the cancer doctor. Treatments and plans were made to fight that ugly disease. Some days bring tears to our hearts and our eyes. We have a bad day at work. We receive disappointments. There is a death. There is sorrow. Some days are like that. While one family is rejoicing, another family is in tears.

Then there are some days that are just normal. Nothing spectacular happens. Nothing tragic happens. Just another day. Another school day. Another work day. Another day at home. Around us are families rejoicing with great news. Others are feeling the heartache of loss. As Wide World of Sports used to advertise, “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” There are some days that are neither. It’s just a normal day.

Most of life is made up of these three type of days. We live for the great days. We look forward to the weddings, the babies born, the vacations, the graduations, the special occasions. The sad days often come unexpected. They can catch us off guard. They change our plans and our lives.

Of the three, we’d tend to think that the sad days are the hardest. They certainly drain us emotionally. But to be honest, it’s the everyday, normal days that we often stumble in. We are not geared up, anticipating like a great day. Nor are we rallying all of emotions and energy to get through those tough days. It’s just a normal day. We may not pray as much during normal days as we do the great days and the tough days. I expect most of us have more normal days than any other.

Here’s some things to consider:

1. When Paul says to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep, it tells us that we do not all experience the same kind of day. While one person is rejoicing, another may be crying and another is having just a normal day. My life cannot be the barometer for how I treat others. I will run into those who are excited and want to talk about the great day they had. Ignoring them or being jealous of them is not the answer. Others may be having a terrible day, I cannot ignore their pain. Be happy for those who are happy. Comfort the sad. Even though I may not be in either one of those kind of days. We must be mindful of what others are going through. This is one of the powerful blessings of a church family. We are there for each other. We support, we comfort, we rejoice and we help one another. It’s pretty easy to deal with great days. It’s those dark, tough days that are hard to go through, especially on your own. Having a church family that is there to remind me of God, to pray with and for me is so important. The road is especially long and hard for those who do not have this. You see the person sitting alone in the hospital waiting room. They don’t have anyone. What a blessing God’s family is. This tells me that when announcements are made at church services, I need to pay attention. I may be having a normal day, but others in my church family are not. I need to rejoice with some and cry with others. The time will come when I will have some of those days and I will need them to help me. Be there for them when you can.

2. Not every day is the same. Those who rejoice will return to having normal days. Those who are suffering will return once again have great days. That’s the way life works. It’s hard to imagine, coming home from the cemetery with eyes full of tears, that your heart will ever be happy again. But it does. It takes time. We must work at it. God helps. It is comforting to know that not every day is the same.

3. Whatever type of day I am having, I must seek God, help others and remind myself that I walk with Jesus. Having a bad day is not a reason to toss out the virtues and character that I have learned from Jesus. Having a great day is not an excuse to do things that I shouldn’t do. Our language, attitudes and hope must reflect God, no matter what kind of day that I am having.

How about you? What kind of day is this for you? Look about you, there are others who are having a different day than you are. Be there for them. Rejoice. Pray. Walk with God.

Roger