Have you ever had one of those days where everything goes wrong? You forgot your homework. You tripped in front of everybody at recess. Your best friend sat with someone else at lunch. By the time you get home, you just want to flop on your bed and be grumpy forever.

The person who wrote Psalm 43 was having days like that. He felt like God had forgotten about him. But look at what he told himself: “Why are you so down, soul? Hope in God! I will still praise Him.” That’s a pretty amazing thing to do when you feel terrible. And it works!

In the book of Acts, Paul and Silas got thrown in jail for telling people about Jesus. Their feet were locked in wooden blocks. It was the middle of the night. It was dark and uncomfortable, and they had every reason to complain. So what did they do? They prayed and sang songs to God, and the other prisoners listened (Acts 16:25)! And God did something incredible. He shook that jail until the doors flew open.

When you feel down, the best thing to do is look up. Praising God doesn’t mean pretending you’re not sad. It means remembering that God is still good, even on a bad day. It’s really hard to stay grumpy when you’re busy thanking God.

Think About It: Next time you have a rough day, what are three things you could praise God for? Not stuff you own, but things about who God is. Is He kind? Strong? Always there? Which one would help you most on a hard day?