Keep your chin up

 

“When something bad happens you have three choices. You can either let it define you, let it destroy you, or you can let it strengthen you.” — Unknown

These last two weeks have been the worst time ever—everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong. I caught a nasty cold, my phone’s airtime miraculously keeps disappearing, my webpage malfunctioned and I had to start from scratch and my cat died. It felt like life was giving me a beating.

In the midst of all the chaos I found Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

It felt like God was telling me: “Keep your chin up, all is not lost yet.”

Life is not always easy, and taking hit after hit can get discouraging and tiresome. A person might not always have control over the things that happen in life, but we do have control over our choices and our actions. You can either let worries, hardship and sorrows steal your joy and give up, or you can decide to fight back and stay strong. It’s easy to give up, but it takes real strength and courage to carry on.

God knows that we have the ability to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:9) and if we do so, He will not leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6).

So, when things are starting to get rough in your life, keep your chin up. Take comfort in God’s strength and remember that “it is just a bad day, not a bad life”.