Morning time can set the tone for our whole day. Take this morning space to be intentional, to be present.
A new day has dawned. It brings with it opportunity and possibility—today is a gift from God. We often feel the urge to rush headlong into our mornings. We jump out of bed, pour ourselves mugs of coffee to get us energized, and spring into action. It can feel frantic, waking to the urgent sound of our alarms and rushing out the door to work, or class, or some appointment.
Morning time can set the tone for our whole day. What if we slow down instead of ramping up? Take this morning space to be intentional, to be present. Let’s start our day ruminating over God’s Word and centering ourselves on the Lord. We invite you to begin the day by reflecting on two verses from Scripture.
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” - Romans 12:2
God’s ways are not the world’s ways; His metrics for success and for happiness are frequently different from those of our culture. We may resist the paths God places before us, preferring to go our own way. The call to let go and trust sounds scarier than holding on tightly and attempting to shape our lives into what we want them to be. Paul’s words to the church of Rome remind us that God has a good and perfect plan for our lives—better than anything we could imagine for ourselves. What would it look like to let God transform us? As you go about your day, invite the Spirit to guide you; pay attention to the places where you might be called to set the world’s ways aside in favor of something new, something better.
Consider this second verse.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” - Philippians 4:6
To interrupt the flow of our hustle can feel unthinkable; we worry we’ll fall behind. The message so often preached by the world around us is to buckle down, to grind, to work even harder. But Scripture encourages us to instead turn to God.
God desires to be in relationship with us. His love is unconditional and unfailing. Instead of worrying, of berating ourselves to be more than what we are, we can lift our concerns up to Jesus and have faith that he will provide. Beginning our day with the practice of gratitude helps remind us of the blessings God has already given us. This practice invites us to live out of a posture of thanks, rather than a mindset of what we perceive we lack.
It’s a new day and we can proceed with the assurance that God is in control and that He will provide us with all we need. Let us root ourselves in peace, in gratitude, in faith, and ready ourselves to answer the call wherever the Spirit is leading us today.
Words: Emma Tweitmann
Photography: Mathilde Langevin
