“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved.” ~ Helen Keller

Have you ever had a day when one thing went terribly wrong and you began to feel like everything was falling apart in your life? I have. I don’t like days like that at all. In fact, I have had to come up with a strategy to handle days when something goes terribly wrong.

Here is my strategy. I put on my favorite praise and worship music and say to myself:

1. God knows my past, my present, and my future. Nothing that happens in my life is a surprise to God.

2. God is with me when everything is going well and when things are falling apart.

3. I am the one who has labeled my life as falling apart because (fill in the blank) event(s) happened today.

4. I choose to believe that God is bringing something good out of the difficulty I am experiencing now.

“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (Romans 8:28 NLT)

Oftentimes, once is not enough and I have to put myself in my “Faith Zone”
until I can begin to agree with these four statements. Over time, I have found that this strategy allows me to continue my day with a peace and a confidence that everything is going to work out for my good, no matter how bad things look.

I took my troubles to the lord; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer. (Psalms 120:1 NLT)

(I photographed the yellow orchids at Flamingo Gardens, Davie, Florida in March 2014.)