GoMix Christian Radio

There is nothing quite like a sure thing. Take this pill, and you will lose 50 pounds in 24 hours. Buy this insurance, and you will never have another car repair expense. Use this deodorant, and you will never have to take another shower. Vote for this candidate, and the world will suddenly become a utopia. Oh, the joys of a sure thing. Yeah, right!

I remember summertime when I was a kid. School was out, days were long, and even if I had chores to do, it still seemed like most every day was a good day. I often got up early, even earlier than school days, because there was just so much good stuff to cram in the day. Those days always seemed to be special. Of course, when you become an adult, things get a little tougher. Good days don’t seem to be quite as guaranteed. It almost seems like no matter how hard we try, some days just won’t fit into the good day category.

If someone said to you, “Have a great cookie,” you would likely respond, “Thanks…where are they?”

You do not simply have a great cookie…it must be made or, perhaps, purchased first. The same is true of a great day. Just telling someone to “have a great day” doesn’t make it happen. Great days don’t always magically appear like they did when I was a kid. Sometimes they have to be made from scratch. Oh, I know that once in a while, you end up in the right place at the right time and a great day falls in your lap, but for most of us, those times are quite rare.

Let me ask you, what might a great day look like for you? I mean, if you could design it from beginning to end? Might it be a day at the beach, a day with your kids, or perhaps a day away from your kids? Maybe a day engaged in your favorite hobby, or for some of us who enjoy work, it might even be a day catching up on some projects that have fallen behind. I know this, everyone’s perfect day will be uniquely their own. What’s fun for you probably would not be fun for me. So, if I am going to have a great cookie, I may just have to make it. So, I must accept the fact that there is a vast difference between having a great day and making a great day. Most of the time, great days don’t just show up. You don't just have them. Quite often, you have to make them.

It first starts with the right attitude. The Bible says, “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” Psalms 118:24. You need to wake up with the intention that today is going to be a good day, because the Lord allowed this day to dawn in your life. You need to wake up assured that, even if unplanned things happen, even if things beat you down or throw you off course, you remain determined to maintain the mindset that God is in control and that things will work out. This may entail looking deep to find the good, because it is not easy to find good on some days. Like David, you need to learn to encourage yourself in the Lord. “…but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God” I Samuel 30:6.

I imagine what my great day might look like, and then I walk through it in my mind before the day actually begins. The best days come when I assess my own thoughts and state of mind before I check the news, weather, or my text messages. It may sound selfish, but I like to focus on what God’s plans may be for me before I crowd them out with my own selfish agenda. I like to imagine that my day will be awesome. I visualize it being filled with the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. With each new day, I also want to display generosity, productivity, creativity, and the energy that comes from loving what I do. Plus, I hope to learn something with each new day so I can share that knowledge with others. I also want to set a good example before others that they may behold my good works and glorify my Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

It is in these things, long before the adventure actually starts, where I find my empowerment to make the absolute best of the day ahead of me. In my life, I know that certain ingredients always make a day better. You probably know the ingredients for your favorite recipe, but do you know the basic ingredients for a good day? A day that is tailor-made just for you? For me, I’d wake up in the morning next to my wife. Unless I am really tired, I usually wake up with the sun. That means 5:30 or 6:00 in the summer, but much later in the winter. In winter, I need the alarm because the nature of our work requires us to start well before sunrise.

On my perfect day, I would wake up feeling good, with none of the aches and pains that often visit a man my age. The first thing I usually do is to thank God that I have lived to see another dawn. Then, assuming I didn't have to report for work, after I got up, I would probably work out in the yard for a couple of hours. Around 10:00, I would come in, get cleaned up, and take my wife out to lunch. When we get back home, I might touch base with a couple of people the Lord may lay upon my heart. On my perfect day, I would probably enjoy working on some projects around the house. I would also spend a couple of hours in prayer and study. As the day draws to a close, Sherry and I might find a good movie to watch on television. Then I would close my perfect day by softly drifting off into peaceful sleep, thanking God for the good day He had given me.

So, what does your good day look like? I am sure my day would be totally boring for most of you. But what events, activities, pleasures, and people would you include? Would it be extravagant or simple, full of spontaneity or intricately planned, lively or low-key?

It has been said that five needs must be met to achieve a state of happiness and contentment: the need to feel secure, to feel good about what we are doing, to be loved, to feel connected to others, and to have a strong sense of control. I guess I can see those needs reflected in my perfect day. In my perfect day, I wake up when my body feels ready. Your body will usually tell you what you need. I desire to spend time with someone I love and touch base with others I care about. It also makes me feel good to accomplish something. I was raised to feel guilty when I sit around and do nothing, so a sense of accomplishment really goes a long way. I also like to do something that makes someone else feel special. Taking my wife out to lunch or helping her around the house helps me to do that. I also feel that I should better myself and hopefully learn something. Spending time in God’s word brings that to pass.

So, what does your day look like? As I said, sometimes making a great day takes effort, but I have given you some hints that help me. Before the day begins, I often spend a few minutes imagining the events planned for the day ahead. Deciding ahead of time to have a good day sets your mind to notice the beauty and small victories that may come your way. Sometimes changing your day is as simple as changing your thoughts.

Here is the way I see it. When someone says, “I hope you have a great day,” it could just be good manners. They want to say something nice to you. Perhaps, it is another way of saying, “I care about you, and I hope your day goes well.” Does it mean we hope they don’t fall and break their neck, or that we hope their dog doesn't get fleas? What does it really mean?

For me, when I say it, it means two different things, depending on whether you are a Christian or not. When I tell a Christian to “have a good day,” It means I hope they prosper and are in good health. I hope they spend time with the Lord and take opportunities to share Jesus with others and make disciples. I hope that they have the opportunity to have spiritual conversations with others. I hope they hear God’s voice and follow Him. I hope the joy of the Lord is their strength. I hope they are anxious for nothing. I hope they remain hopeful and are full of joy despite their circumstances. I hope they are not double-minded but stand firm in their faith. I hope they are protected and that in every battle, they overcome the wicked one. In my opinion, these are some of the things that make a good day for the believer.

However, I also tell non-believers to “have a good day.” So, what do I mean when I say it to them? Well, obviously, I hope that they live long enough on this earth to find Jesus. The best day of my life was the day I accepted Christ. I hope they yield to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. And I hope they find the only truth that can set them free. I wish them no harm, but many of the blessings I can desire for Christians are not available to them, or at least they are not promised. The point is that telling someone to have a good day can mean different things depending on who we are saying it to.

For most of us a fresh new day awaits us tomorrow morning. So, while I acknowledge that some days seem more prone to be good than others, I remind you that on stormy days, God is good. On days we experience tragedies, God is still good. No matter what we face, God is good. If you believe that simple truth, perhaps tomorrow morning would be a good time to imagine having a good day even before you have it. As the Lord’s mercies are renewed every morning, so should our anticipation of receiving those mercies be fresh with every new sunrise. Sure, setbacks may occur, or we may experience less-than-favorable situations, but that does not diminish the fact that God is good and that this is the day that He has made—or, in some cases, this is the day wherein He has already given us the raw materials to make great for ourselves.

Dr. Worthington has been in the ministry for fifty years and serves as President of Pathway Ministries and Christian Bible College.