Do you ever feel like you’re just having a difficult day? Perhaps nobody picked you for the lunchtime football game, or maybe you forgot your snack, or your journey took twice as long as usual this morning. Equally, there are probably plenty of days when you feel like you’re having the best time of your life. You’ve ticked off everything on your to-do list, you got your homework done on time and didn’t make mistakes – everybody wanted you to be on their team in cricket. Life is like that, ups and downs, unfortunately we often remember the low points more than the good, even though most of the time there is good and bad in every day.

It’s the same when we read the news or look out the window. Today there will be people suffering from the bad weather, there will be others living in dangerous countries, people who are alone and cold, people who don’t know where they will be sleeping tonight. At the same time there are Nobel Prize winners, people who have just had a promotion, people who have reunited with an old friend or loved one after months (or even years) apart. If we let ourselves, we can soon get carried away on trains of thought that take us nowhere.

So, this weekend, can we try to see things differently? Can we pray to our Lord for His strength and guidance, can we open our hearts and minds to His wisdom.

Today there are people living with violence, let the Lord give me the strength to act with kindness. Today many people will suffer hardship due to Storm Éowyn, let the Lord give me the strength to do my jobs without complaint. Knowing that there will always be lonely people in our world, let me make room in my heart for all people in my community – even those I like less well. Today will bring ups and downs, I may feel sad or happy, whatever comes my way, let me open my heart to God, that I can face all things with ease.

1 Chronicles 16:11 (ESV) Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!