Week Thirty-Six - Dud Days

Ever had a dud day? A day when you feel totally blah? There is no apparent reason; nothing is wrong, but nothing is right. You just don't care. Nothing makes sense, and you're not bothered to think anything through? When if you do think, it turns to worry, frustration and fear, so distractions are a better option. When prayer feels like silence and nothing holds any joy.

I'd imagine we have all been there at one time or another. I find these days most annoying because I don't seem to accomplish much. I usually go to bed hoping the next day will hold brighter prospects. I've also learned a few other things about dud days.

First, they are a gift from God. "Really?" you might say. "How can a dud day be a gift?" 

Well, it is a gift of a day without controversy or drama. It is a day with no demands or expectations. It is a day to sit on the shelf and rejuvenate. It is a day that causes you to appreciate other days. There are lots of ways to look at it as a gift. And looking at it this way is much healthier than stomping or pouting your way through.

Having said that, I've also learned that my attitude on dud days is essential. When I face a dud day, I can still choose to hope in God, pray, believe, do right, rest, and wait. I know I am still loved and can be thankful for the downtime. It's even an excellent opportunity to be looking for God's hand. He's up to something and has probably put me on hold until He is ready for my next assignment or He is preparing me. Nothing is wasted in God's economy, even dud days.

I've not found a place in Scripture that speaks directly to dud days, but I have learned a few principles. Paul says, "my strength is made perfect in weakness...when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10). On the dud days, I feel at my weakest, my least worthy and useful, but maybe that is precisely what God wants me to feel, so I will learn to better rely on His strength and not my own.

Another thing I've learned is that those dud days give me the opportunity to re-evaluate my life. I can sit and stare or I can take a good hard look at how I am managing life and what changes I might need to make. With no distractions or demands facing me, I have time to peer through the fog and make a better plan.

And dud days are a great opportunity for reading, cleaning, and creativity. Sort a closet, refresh a wall, finish another chapter. Even a little progress helps you feel better.

And even during dud days, our souls long for God. I think that's why we feel so empty. Or maybe, dud days remind us of the futility of this life. For whatever reason, I believe the psalmist David experienced something similar when he wrote Psalm 42. There are hints throughout the chapter of his emptiness and struggle. But he rested with this thought, "I shall yet praise Him." And we will, too! Dud days are but for a moment. So be thankful, and let your soul rest instead of growing frustrated!