We enter days that seem long, drawn-out, and leave us feeling empty at the end of the day. Often because we have waited for something fun, interesting, or significant to happen, we completely overlook the small, sometimes quiet, and unexpected gifts that God has given us.
God provides our daily bread as promised in The Lord’s Prayer. It is our prayer that He will give us our daily bread. If we are asking for it, it will be provided. Sometimes our daily bread comes in the form of a friendly smile, a word of encouragement, the person in front of you in the coffee line paying for your coffee, or a warm embrace from someone we love. We only need the daily bread for that day. It will sustain us for that day. If we set an expectation of what our daily bread should look like, then we will completely miss the blessing before us.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day” (Exodus 16:4). The Lord promised Moses provision over His people. The Lord does the same for us, daily. He offers the provisions we need. This practice will guide in recognizing our daily bread. When we are present to create the space of giving thanks to God for His provision, we will realize what is before us.
Try this practice to recognize your daily bread.
With paper and pen, write out all the moments from the day before that brought glimmers of joy, a smile, relief, or gratitude. Allow the list to be as long as there are moments to fill on the paper.
- As you reflect, how did you engage in those moments?
- How do you see the list as provision from God?
- Were YOU the daily bread in someone else’s life?
Try this practice every day. Over time it becomes easier to see where God has provided for you in ways that you never imagined. Sometimes, it is receiving the daily bread, nourishment from someone, and sometimes it is you being the nourishment for someone else.
“Give us today our daily bread.”
written by Joanna Polarek, Resource Coordinator, Spiritual Life Development, USA East
