Last night my apartment was flooded because I had accidentally left a tap on during a water lock off. About an hour after I went to bed my neighbor called to say that water from my apartment was seeping into hers.

Adrenaline kicked in and I sprang into action, turning off the tap immediately and doing whatever mopping up I could do then and leaving the rest until in the morning. By the grace of God, I remained calm throughout. While I was working, I kept reminding myself that God did not promise us a trouble-free life, but He promised He would be our present help in trouble.

Of course, I felt badly about what had happened, as this was not the first time; but I was equally aware that I needed to give myself grace and treat myself with compassion in the same way that I would treat a friend who was caught in a similar situation.

The temptation to beat up on myself was real, but I made the choice to see the glass as half full instead of half empty. The problem I was facing paled in comparison to what I knew others were going through. I chose to give thanks, confident that this too would pass.

Will I have to pay for any damages that may have occurred because of the flooding? Probably! My neighbour and I will discuss the matter later in the day.

But right now, I am looking outside and there is glorious sunshine, in stark contrast to the grey skies of this morning. There is light and there is hope. It is a beautiful day, and I am blessed to be alive in spite of the challenges big and small. Our God is bigger!

Meditate on the words of this song.