You & the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
Pt. 1 - Mondays
I. Introduction
In the 60's the Mamas and Papas may have most accurately captured the sentiment of the concept of getting a "Case of the Mondays".
Monday, Monday, can't trust that day
Monday, Monday, sometimes it just turns out that way
Oh, Monday morning, you gave me no warning of what was to be
Oh, Monday, Monday, how could you leave and not take me?
Every other day, every other day
Every other day of the week is fine, yeah
But whenever Monday comes
But whenever Monday comes
You can find me crying all of the time
Ever had ones of those days? It is just a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Or maybe worse you have experienced a week of Mondays! Or some of you can stand up and testify to a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year. Our Monday moods can be a result of sickness, relationships, or the unexpected twists and turns of life. Regardless of the cause the result is the same. Low, dark clouds overhead. Outlook impacted. Joy jolted. Peace punched. Hope halted. Monday, Monday! So now what? What do we need to know about these bad days? What can we do about these bad days? Over the next two weeks we will discuss this.
II. Text
Job 1:8-22
God said to Satan, “Have you noticed my friend Job? There’s no one quite like him—honest and true to his word, totally devoted to God and hating evil.” Satan retorted, “So do you think Job does all that out of the sheer goodness of his heart? Why, no one ever had it so good! You pamper him like a pet, make sure nothing bad ever happens to him or his family or his possessions, bless everything he does—he can’t lose! “But what do you think would happen if you reached down and took away everything that is his? He’d curse you right to your face, that’s what.” God replied, “We’ll see. Go ahead—do what you want with all that is his. Just don’t hurt him.” Then Satan left the presence of God. Sometime later, while Job’s children were having one of their parties at the home of the oldest son, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys grazing in the field next to us when Sabeans attacked. They stole the animals and killed the field hands. I’m the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened.” While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, “Bolts of lightning struck the sheep and the shepherds and fried them—burned them to a crisp. I’m the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened.” While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, “Chaldeans coming from three directions raided the camels and massacred the camel drivers. I’m the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened.” While he was still talking, another messenger arrived and said, “Your children were having a party at the home of the oldest brother when a tornado swept in off the desert and struck the house. It collapsed on the young people and they died. I’m the only one to get out alive and tell you what happened.” Job got to his feet, ripped his robe, shaved his head, then fell to the ground and worshiped: Naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked I’ll return to the womb of the earth. God gives, God takes. God’s name be ever blessed. Not once through all this did Job sin; not once did he blame God.
We are not told but it had to be a Monday! All in one day every imaginable disaster. Then, if that wasn't enough, in Chapter 2 the enemy declares that if he could touch Job's body he would turn on God. So, on another day, probably also a Monday, Job loses his health.
We have talked about Job in the past but a few more thoughts in light of having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
1. Bad days reveal that God believes in you!
Notice, I didn't say that bad days reveal you believe in God. No . . . bad days reveal that God believes in you. Listen to God's statement about Job . . . "have you considered Job?" It is like God is dangling Job in front of the enemy like a trophy. He believed in Job! If you are experiencing a no good, very bad day it simply means that God trusts you with what you are facing!
Another way of saying this is "If God allows it, then He has plans for it."
Jesus' life in our midst reveals how God uses pain. As Jesus walked from town to town He would stop and heal those who were sick. So, his followers have already seen the glory of healing. Jesus gets word that one of His best friends is sick. And Jesus intentionally waited for 4 days before responding. Jesus, hearing the need allows Lazarus' condition to deteriorate until he dies. Why? Why let the day get that bad?
John 11:40 tells us, Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” He allows the day to get worse in order to reveal a new level of glory. He lets it deteriorate for 4 days to show another side of Himself. Could He have sent a word and healed Lazarus? Yes! However, if Jesus had healed Lazarus prior to death, then there is no new glory seen. They had seen healing from Him. But power over death? Greater glory. So, in other words, if you are experiencing a new level of pain you are being prepared for a new level of glory. If the day was only as bad as another bad day you had, then there is no need for a greater level of glory. However, this new level of hurt, disaster, brokenness is simply unlocking and unearthing a new platform to experience greater glory! If you are walking through a bad day . . . take heart God believes in you!
2. Bad days reveal the biggness in you.
Notice that on day one of a very bad day the text says, "Job got to his feet, ripped his robe, shaved his head, then fell to the ground and worshiped: Not once through all this did Job sin; not once did he blame God."
A man is measured by what it takes to discourage him. In the midst of what may be the worst terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day in history . . . Job worships rather than whining. What is your first response? Trust or terror? Faith or fear? Pity party or peace?
Here is the truth. Trouble reveals what’s in you.
Tea bag . . . the only way to know what is in it is to put it in hot water. And God isn't the One who needs to know who you are ... pain shows us and our enemy who we are.
Incredible bad day - 1 thing after another - layers of pain. Enemy layers and piles on. He sends another and another. So the question is "Are you one layer strong or 2 layers strong? 3 layers or 4 layers?" How do you know? Trouble reveals.
3. Bad days put people in their place.
People can't solve your pain. Jobs friends arrive on the scene of his bad day and say nothing for 7 days and then the next 27 chapters lay blame, make excuses, ridicule and dissect Job's pain. However, at the end of the day they could do nothing about his pain. Remember I told you that one of God's tactics is that He assigns comforters to you. However, I want you to understand that these folks are not assigned as a substitute but as an assistant. We have this bad habit of elevating people to gods! We look to them over or instead of to God, then we are left empty. We continue to run to people. Bad days put people in their place and force us to realize once and for all that only He can satisfy. Only He can produce peace. Only He can solve. We know that intellectually . . . bad days allow us to know that experientially.
III. Close
If you are going through a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day, then we want to pray for you and assure you that God has a plan for your pain. He trusts you. We want the struggle to show you who you are. We are here to assist not substitute.
