Ministry Resources

Seven Questions to Ask On A Tough Day

Author: Dave Beroth

Ever have one of those tough days where you just wanted to get through to the end? You might have even prayed something like this, ‘‘Lord, please just get me through this day.” It seems that in this life there are no shortages of days like this.

Imagine if someone told you to walk 10 miles across town to a specific bank and upon your arrival you would receive $5 million for doing so. Most of us would hit the road immediately, regardless of what kind of physical shape we were in or how much of an aversion we may have to walking that distance. In that scenario, we have been given an opportunity and a motivation to say “yes.”

Do you think in the course of that 10 mile trek you would forget why you were walking? Not a chance! Every time your foot would strike the pavement you would be thinking – there’s another $250 dollars. (Yes, I did the math. There are approximately 20,000 steps in a 10 mile walk. No, I did not walk it, I googled it). Every time your feet ached because the shoes pinched and rubbed you might think – “That’s alright, I’ll buy custom made shoes when I am done.” Someone has said, “Be like a postage stamp—stick to one thing until you get there.”

During those tough days, keeping in sight what awaits us at the end of a journey can hold the journey itself in perspective. A journey without a destination is pointless. It is meaningless and burdensome. When facing challenging times, we have the greatest opportunity for personal growth and development but we are often tempted to become disheartened and give up.

A journey without a destination is pointless

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT) 16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Seven Questions to Ask On A Tough Day:

  1. When people see my face what would they assume?
  2. What am I learning about myself right now?
  3. Do I believe that God is good and is trustworthy?
  4. What character quality is God trying to shape in me?
  5. What is God moving me toward?
  6. What is my fear?
  7. Who will I talk to about my thoughts and feelings?

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