At the end of the day 99% of the important things of life were accomplished when we said, “Yes, Lord, I believe and receive Your blood as payment for my sins!” What happens on this planet is all about knowing Him more- through trials, through joys, through spreading who He is to those around us. The events are significant only because they reveal Him to us and our obedience (and lack thereof) to Him. Our short existence on this planet- compared to eternity- is but a blink of an eye.

No matter what happens today, tomorrow, the day following, we can KNOW that our Redeemer lives, that He will never leave us, that He will never forsake us, that He alone is our source of joy, comfort, and peace!

The GOOD NEWS is that when we feel down, discouraged, despondent, defeated, we can know with all certainty that we have tethered ourselves to our circumstances instead of the One who desires those very circumstances to mold us more into His likeness.

The word of the day is SURRENDER. We make a willful choice to surrender to His will, His grace, His joy, His peace, and we allow that surrender to drive our actions. Perhaps our surrender means we stay silent in prayer. Perhaps it means we take action that will cost us our reputation. Perhaps we take action to encourage a stranger, to provide for those in need, to witness to someone who is lost.

Whatever God desires of us today, we can TRUST Him in it and know that we will keep the peace and joy within that passes all circumstantial understanding.

And at the end of the day- isn’t the greatest gift of all both peace and joy? If we have those, regardless of circumstance, we lack nothing.

This is our gift this day and every day because we have a Father who adores us!

Thank you, Lord! You are amazing!!!