How to Glorify God in the Dark Times

Yesterday my life changed drastically. I'm deeply sorrowful, I have anger, and bitterness because I'm confused and don't know what happened. Why did God allow this to happen to me? After meeting with my pastor I realized, I'm the reason. I'm a sinful fallen man who is now by the Grace of God being cast into the rock tumbler of life. My biggest problem, I'm rough, really rough, so rough that I've pushed the ones I love the most away. But, the focus of my life was at the wrong place, on me or on my wife or on the current problem I had to solve, but my focus wasn't where it needed to be, It wasn't on Christ. Today is a the first day of the rest of my life, it's a new day with lots of things I can change to be more Christ like.  This morning my son and I read this:

3 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. - Colossians 3:1-17 (ESV)

So, today is the first day of a new man,  I need to first take baby steps, putting all my thoughts and actions into an eternal perspective.  Everything I think, everything I say can have eternal perspectives on the world around me,  I'm just an ambassador representing Christ, and I've done a horrible job.  My focus hasn't been on the eternal, it's been on me.  Generally I think I'm a smart guy, but the problem is i've been doing all my figuring out trying to get what's best for me, but that's wrong,  I need to move from this self motivated movement, to an eternal focus.  How will what I say bring Christ glory for what he has done for me.  How will my actions be a focus for other people to see Christ.   

Today,  I need to surrender it all to Christ,  for he and only he will know what plans he has laid up for me.  I don't know what those plans are, I don't know where my journey will lead me, but I do know the destination is to spend eternity with Him in glory.   

Each day I hope to move through this verse and present how my life is changing.   Where am I failing, what God is using me to do, and most of all how I can be the person He wants me to be.

The potter is being kinda rough on me today, but I know he's making something worthy of honor in His house.

If you've read this,  please keep me in prayer, the day is very dark.  Also keep my family lifted in prayer.