In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. - Matthew 5:16

I love this verse. It is actually one of my favorites out of the whole Bible. It's such a good reminder that we were called to be the light of the world and bring so much joy to those around us.

We live in a world that is very broken. People are frustrated, hurt, abused, and many more awful things. Sometimes, it is hard to see the bright side of every situation. And, if there are a lot of difficult situations, then this can lead to you carrying this negative energy around with you for a long amount of time. In the process of being overwhelmed with all the things that are going wrong, you might take this negative energy out on a friend, family member, or even the stranger in front of you on the highway.

But here's the thing. Every time the sun rises, we have a constant reminder that God is all powerful. He created the Earth and the sun to rise. He created you. He sent His son to die for you. Jesus did not come down for us to wallow in self-pity. No, He came because even in the horrible mess of the world we live in, He knows that you can handle the situations thrown at you. He shows us by His death that through Him, we can overcome the world.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

We have to come to the understanding that life is not going to always go the way we want it to. You might get a flat on the way to work or fail a test you thought you did so well on, but it's going to be okay in the end. Jesus has you here for a purpose and a reason. A piece of that reason is to show others around you that there is joy and light in the broken world that we live in because they might be overwhelmed with troubling things to where they can't find the light.

Be a vessel for His Kingdom and remember that even when things don't go right according to your plan, Jesus has a purpose and a reason for it all.