New Morning Mercies

Sometimes when I look back on my journal I’m shocked at how inconsistent I am. I’ll feel really good where I’m at one day, like I’m growing and making progress and can see how God’s working in my life. Then the next day I start to doubt God’s plan a little bit and my gaze shifts away from who God says I am to how others perceive me. All in the matter of a day.

God knows we are people of days. We have days of inspiration and days of defeat. That’s why he says his mercies are new every morning, because he knows we need fresh grace every time we open our eyes. Grace for ourselves— for our shortcomings, for when we don’t meet our own expectations. Grace for each other, for when people disappoint us. Grace for when we try to do things in our own power instead of in God’s strength.

I think that’s why Jesus modeled a very specific kind of surrender for us in the Lord’s Prayer— “Give us this day, our daily bread.” Even as the Son of God, every day he relied on provisions from his Father.

As humans we’re so small, our vision is so limited. We can’t handle looking beyond the day in front of us. Sometimes I can’t even handle more than the moment in front of me. But God actually made us that way— to live in sweet dependence on him. We don’t need to try to carry enough grace to get us through another week on our own. He holds every moment and day and year ahead.

Lamentations 3:22-23 says “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Today I encourage you— wherever you’re at— to take a minute and recognize the mercies God has provided for you. And if you can’t see any right now and you feel like the day is ending in defeat, know that God has a fresh outpouring of grace for you tomorrow, as sure as the rising of the sun.