Some Days Nothing Goes Right

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.

“When God enables any man to accept his lot and be happy in his work—this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart.” Ecclesiastes 5:19-20

The other day I was really, really tired. It had been exhausting. You know those kinds of days. Nothing went right — everything that was planned was changed. And I got a whole lot of stuff done, but none of the stuff that I needed to finish.

I went to bed early think-- ing that I’d get a jump start on everything the next day. As I lay there my mind started to turn over the day’s events. Then it started to think about the things I didn’t get done. Will someone be mad because I didn’t have time to call them back? Will something get done on time if I do it tomorrow at the last minute? My mind was working so hard that it was way past my normal bedtime when I finally went sleep.

I was worried about things and woke up more tired than I was the day before.

The worries of work and life always tend to keep us awake. And it’s usually compounded because when we go to sleep worrying about things, then that’s usually when we have those weird dreams about running on a treadmill, being chased by a vampire in cape and dune buggy while wearing clown shoes. (What you’ve never had dreams like that?)

God doesn’t want us to worry about life. I know that may seem an easy thing to say and hard thing to do. But instead of worrying about all of the things we did and didn’t do, maybe we should pray thanking God for the blessings he’s given us in our days. I’m sure we’d have better dreams. Let us pray. Dear Lord, thank you for the One in and through whom our lives become holy: your son, Jesus Christ. Because of him, our hands are never empty. And because of him we worship you. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.