Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken. (Ps. 55:22)
On a regular school day, my little daughter came home saying, “I am having the worst day of my life. Can I just go to bed now?” I found myself wanting to both hug her and laugh at the same time. She spoke in a dramatic tone, expressing herself as if it was the end of the world, and as if her bed would somehow transport her to a place where she could not be found. I cannot remember what happened, but she was clearly not getting along with her best friend.
Psalm 55 captures the essence of a bad day. The psalmist felt like dying, longing for a way to escape. If the poet had had wings, he would have gone far away. There was conflict rising; enemies were everywhere. He felt betrayed even by his close friends. Yet amid his distress, the psalmist remembered that God cares. So, he compelled himself to trust in God.
Not too long ago, I came home in a bad mood. I was frustrated and discouraged. I had had a bad day and wanted to go to bed. As I walked into the house, my daughter gave me a huge smile. She was having a good day. I hugged her and thanked her for giving me hope. I then talked to Jesus and took some time to rest.
Pray Psalm 55 when you are having a bad day.
Luigi Peñaranda is an associate professor of global leadership and Latino/Latina Christian studies at Wesley Seminary of Indiana Wesleyan University.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
