Having a Bad Day at the Office? (Part 1)

We have probably all experienced unanswered prayers and disappointments along life’s path at some stage or other. How we deal with the pain can be very different. Some people find solace in comfort eating, some in alcohol, some pornography, and others in burying themselves in their work or hobbies. None of these, however, heal our hearts. God has the perfect antidote, which we will look at closer in His word. Relevant verses can be found in psalms penned by King David, who had by all accounts more than just one ‘bad day at the office’!

Psalm 120:1 (NLT) says, ‘I took my troubles to the LORD; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer.’ Other versions say, ‘In my distress, I called to the Lord’. David took his troubles to the Lord, cried out and was answered. And we see the same pattern in the next psalm, which describes the Lord hearing David’s cry. ‘But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears’ (Psalm 18:6).

What do we do, though, when we cry out but feel our prayers have hit the ceiling, or that God hasn’t heard and isn’t answering? I remember the Lord impressing on my heart a call to missions, while I was playing a joke with the world map. As I didn’t realise at the time that God would use a joke to speak to me, I brushed it off! Over the next three weeks, my prayer life was struggling and in frustration I cried out to the Lord and said, “My prayers feel like they are bouncing off the ceiling, what’s going on?” In that moment I heard His still whisper into my heart, “You’re being like Jonah”. Immediately I knew that I needed to submit to the missionary call I’d sensed Him put in my heart. And when I did, His peace flooded my heart.

Obedience can be a key to breakthrough. Sometimes, though, we just need to place the timing of things into His hands, still believing He will intervene and answer. Other times, we need to grieve dreams and hopes that haven’t been fulfilled and make a choice to trust God with that pain - knowing His promise says He brings all things together for the good of those who love Him, and who are called according to His purposes. All things include the good, the bad and the ugly in our lives.

Maybe you are reading this and feeling that every day is a bad day in the office for you at present, without any sign of the struggle abating. God knows, and in Part 2, I will look at more encouragement in Scripture.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I place all my unanswered prayers and disappointments into Your hands. Thank You that You promise to bring all things together for the good of those who love You. Help me to trust You with my struggles and disappointments. I give them to You, In Jesus’ name. Amen.