For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7

We expend so much effort trying to have our lives run smoothly. We plan and schedule how we want our time to be spent, we buy gadgets to create shortcuts for all we want to accomplish, and we constantly revise this plateau of perfection where we want to live. As a result, we make each day conditional on how well it conforms to these images of success that dwell in our expectations.

But God makes it clear that our lives will never be without problems. Jesus told us that the closer we grow to him, the more we’ll be at odds with the world. We don’t have to live up to anyone else’s standards—including our own—as we go through each day. We only have to stay in constant communication with God, allowing him to point out what needs to be done and letting go of our own unrealistic expectations.

You can rely on God for whatever you’re facing today.

You can grow closer to God with my full Jesus Daily® Devotional Book at fine bookstores everywhere.

Pray: “Father, allow me to surrender to whatever this day holds, knowing that you already know what’s ahead and will be with me no matter what it is.”