Today was one of those days...

Today was one of those days.

Driving to a friend’s house, I acted like a dingbat; I missed my exit, got honked at, was nearly run over by a fire engine, and almost wrecked my car on the curb.
Later, thanks to a cramping, queasy stomach, I dumped a few Ibuprofen in my hand and opened a bottle of Sprite to wash them down. PshhhFizzzzzzzz. The Sprite exploded all over my jeans, leaving a sticky, oozy feeling and a wet spot that looked like I hadn’t made it to the bathroom in time.

To top it all off, my ex called. A day ago, I had finally handed over all my anger and bitterness to God, and here was a phone call to remind me today would have been our anniversary. Frustrated and close to tears, I finally hung up.

And then I thanked Jesus for the privilege of getting just a little taste of His suffering.

Wait a minute—the privilege of suffering?

Yeah, the privilege!

We all have days that make us feel discouraged, beat down, and disappointed. At their worst, these days are attacks from the enemy. At their best, these days give us hope.

What would happen if we never thoroughly embarrassed ourselves, never felt uncomfortable, never got awful phone calls? God uses difficulties to refine us, but suffering is also a reminder that we don’t belong here. The bible tells us Abraham was a stranger in a foreign land, and that’s what we are, too. Our spirits, our hearts, our lives—everything—weren’t designed to function in a fallen world. Realizing that can make us a lot more comfortable with being uncomfortable until we meet Jesus in heaven.

Do I like making a fool of myself? No. Do I like having wounds re-opened all over again? Of course not. Do I love being reminded that there’s something better waiting for me in heaven? You betcha.