One of the humbling things about a bad morning is how quickly it reveals what is really in me. I can blame the time, the lack of sleep, and even the messy house. And those things are a pain, they really are, but I’m sure they don’t create impatience out of nothing. Instead they draw it out of me. They draw it out into the open and they show me how irritability is still alive and well in my heart.

Some mornings seem to start off rather irritating for me. 

There’s usually no good reason for it either. Indeed, nothing catastrophic has happened, but in those first few minutes everything feels just a bit angry. My body is slightly tense and still tired, my mind is in the popular morning fog, the kids are moving like elephants upstairs and something is extremely wrong and it’s not even 6:30.

I’ve begun the practice of noting how these bad mornings start and what these bad mornings reveal about me. Indeed, I’ve titled the document: A Theology of Bad Mornings. 

How original…

One thing I’ve noticed is that, when it comes to a bad morning, it’s not just the fact that it inconveniences me, but that it doesn’t even give me time to justify myself. For instance, a good morning can make me feel mature in my faith, but a bad one is like I’m not even a Christian. I think it was plain to me that sanctification happens in the heavier moments of life. It happens in suffering, in repentance after obvious sin, in major trials, or in times of sorrow that leave significant marks on the soul. But, God seems to also be sanctifying us by revealing our default attitude before we even get out of bed.

I’ve found that he shows me how much I need him just by the irrational response I have in my heart when I wake up, step out of bed, and then step on a Lego that was left near my bedroom door. He also shows me that I need more work when I receive twenty “toy requests” in the hallway as I head to find outfits in a room that looks like it was struck by a whirlwind while we were sleeping. The thoughts that fill my mind in that moment would make most people question if I’m really saved.

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