Do you ever have a day when you’re just annoyed? You can’t seem to put your finger on it, but there’s something gently rubbing in a direction that’s just enough off from normal that it becomes an irritation. That has been me this week.

I’ve thought, prayed and pondered (out loud to myself, no less) about it. I’ve gone to the gym for extra-grueling workouts with the hope that endorphins would push me to feeling better. I’ve cooked. I’ve cleaned. I’ve eaten an extra helping of dessert. No luck.

It would be easy to point fingers at some of the clear culprits in my life right now. (No, I won’t share them with you on here.) But the more I consider some of these options, the more I’m convinced it’s something less obvious. So what do I do? I throw myself on my bed and cry – big tears with loud wailing like you see in movies. Ok, that’s not the truth. I do the only two things I know to do: I write, hoping to sort out some of the mess as I pull my thoughts into sentences, and I trust God’s Word.

Today, 1 Peter 5:8-11 gives me great hope. It reads: “Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You’re not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It’s the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever. It won’t be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does.” (The Message)

And so I remind myself that God has a plan for my life. I keep up my guard so that I’m not caught in compromise. I recall that there are others in the world with far larger irritations. And I smile knowing that there is a great work being done in my life – that this day with its annoyances is proof of that.