Bible Study Day: The Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day Solution

I led Children's Chapel at church today and if I do say so myself (and it's my blog, so I do) - the lesson was a good one for people of all ages to hear.

These were the readings we heard in church today. Read them or don't. None of the kids listened and Children's Chapel worked out just fine so don't feel bad if you don't feel like clicking on a link to the lectionary.

Ever read Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day? That's pretty much what the lectionary readings were. So we read Alexander in Children's Chapel. And here's the deal:

People have terrible horrible no good very bad days. That's a part of life. Luckily, scripture shows us time and time again that having a complete melt-down over them is just fine. Ever read the Psalms? Melt-downs. Seriously. I took a class on the Psalms in seminary and there is an entire category in which you can label a Psalm "complaint or lament." God is just fine with people sitting on the end of his bed and sobbing about a terrible horrible no good very bad day. Just fine. In fact he will probably pass you some bon-bons and a tissue and let you wail as long as you need to.

And it gets better. Not only does God want us to give voice to our sufferings (seriously, he invites people in scripture to it all of the time), he often has a plan. A new plan. A better one. How about Hagar who was pregnant with some old dude's baby (sorry Abraham, but really) and had to live as a servant in his household and wait on his wife who "dealt harshly with her" (Genesis 16:6)? Hagar meets none other than God's angelic diplomat in the wilderness who says to her "what's wrong?" (Genesis 16:8). The angel knows Hagar's name and that she is Sarai's slave-girl and yet still asks, "what are you doing?" If that isn't an invitation to vent a terrible horrible no good very bad day(s) then I don't know what is. So Hagar does. She is asked to return to the home of Abram & Sarai and later ends up hanging out with the angel in the desert again where God makes a new plan for Hagar(that's a terrible summary, just read it lazy bum: Genesis 21:8-21).

You know who else vents a terrible horrible no good very bad day to God and gets a new plan? A little guy we like to call... oh... maybe you've heard of him... ELIJAH. Elijah has pissed off the people in power (specifically Jezebel) who then gives him a death threat (1 Kings 19:1-2). Once again God comes and says "what's happening?" to which Elijah is invited to give voice to his suffering. "Everybody wants to kill me!!!" he says (which mmmmaaayyy have been a slight exaggeration but is for sure how he felt). And what does God do? He makes a new plan for Elijah. 1 Kings 19 if you want to pick it up.

So, what should you do when you are in the midst of a terrible horrible no good very bad day? Vent. Pray about it like the Psalmist prays (today's Psalm included "My God, my God why have you foresaken me? and are so far from my cry and from the words of my distress?" and that's just the intro! Psalm 22). Give voice to your suffering and tell God all about it. God wants to be in relationship with his people. We all know relationships require some venting.

And then prayerfully get a new plan. As the kiddos talked about at church this morning, there are plenty of people in your life who love you and want to help you. Think about who those people are. Ask them to help you make the new plan.

And for heaven's sake, remember: EVERYONE has a terrible horrible no good very bad day sometimes. Even in Australia.