April stood in the checkout line at a local grocery store, and the young lady handling the check-out was experiencing a horrible time with the cash register. After she finally worked out the kinks and succeeded in sending April on her way, she said to April, “I’m so sorry this took so long.”
April responded, “If this is the worst thing that happens to me today, I’ve had a good day.”
April and I often use that phrase. Throughout any given day, issues pop up, irritations flare, problems develop. In every case, April and I are able to state those sixteen words. We use this phrase on each other: “Dan, if that’s the worst thing that happens to you today, you’ve had a good day.”
Even if I fire a ‘if looks could kill’ look back at her, what she says is truth. Far worse things could happen to me than the air conditioning in my truck stopping on a hot August day or our dog Gigi vomiting on the living room rug or the milk going sour in the refrigerator.
For example, if a horrible tragedy occurred, causing me to lose the love of my life forever then no one could blame me for declaring, “This is the worst thing that could possibly happen to me today.” Everyone would solemnly nod their heads and mumble in unison, “This is the worst day of Dan’s life.”
But could that day be even worse? Suppose I lost the love of my life on the same day the milk in the refrigerator went sour. Think of people shaking their heads in despair while telling their neighbors, “Not only did Dan lose the love of his life, but the milk went sour.” And the neighbors reply, “Good grief, not the milk too.”
Yet, in truth, losing April in this life could have one additional worse ingredient. If April passed from this life to the next without knowing Christ as her Savior, the result would be her dwelling forever mired in a pitch-black, blistering-hot Hell. That situation would create the absolute worst day of my life. Nothing could ever top that very bad day.
Logically, then, even April being ripped from my life wouldn’t create the worst day possible for me. The reason is simple: April knows Christ. She follows Him with all her heart and all her strength. No one could ever rip her faith in Him from her.
Therefore, even though I would mourn her passing from my life, I could rest in the peace of knowing she’s now with a Father who loves her better than I could ever love her. She would live with Him in His glorious paradise forever. Someday, I would have the opportunity to join them as well.
Scripture teaches there is no marriage in heaven, but I’m hoping God allows ‘besties.’ If so, I would get to hold April’s hand as we explored all the fantastic reaches of Heaven. Hopefully, we understand why the worst possible day for me would be losing my best friend while knowing she never followed Christ, and we would be separated forever—she in the darkest life possible from which she could never escape.
We can also see how this fits so well into Jesus’ promise of finding rest in His ‘easy yoke and light burden’ of Matthew 11:28-30. Suppose you’re a Believer, but the person who means the most to you is not. Then are you not heavily-burdened because that person will eventually face a horrific future which will never end? Reverse that. You are not a Believer but someone who dearly loves you is a Believer. That person now carries the burden of knowing the eternal future you face.
Far, far better—infinitely better—for April and me to live out this life as Believers in Christ, taking on the ‘easy yoke’ of Jesus, which, among other treasures, offers the promise of knowing we’ll ultimately enjoy an exquisite, incomparable life in Heaven
“If this is the worst thing that happens to me today then I’ve had a good day.” For April and me, those words are truth every day. For an incredible, indestructible reason.