JUNE 28, 2026

 “Lack of confidence, sometimes alternating with unrealistic dreams of heroic success, often leads to procrastination, and many studies suggest that procrastinators are self-handicappers: rather than risk failure, they prefer to create conditions that make success impossible, a reflex that of course creates a vicious cycle.” 

― James Surowiecki

JOB 13-15

1“Mortals, born of woman,

are of few days and full of trouble.

2They spring up like flowers and wither away;

like fleeting shadows, they do not endure.(14:1-2)

ACTS 8:26-40

26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian^a eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”

30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.

31“How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

JOURNAL 

One of the greatest temptations I face is waiting for the dramatic while overlooking the miraculous. I find myself wanting the breakthrough, the mountaintop experience, the defining moment that changes everything. Yet I wonder if God spends far more time working through the ordinary than the extraordinary.

Social media and our culture don't help. We are constantly shown the biggest victories, the biggest failures, the most exciting stories, and the brightest shiny objects. It can make everyday faithfulness feel insignificant. Yet the truth is that the overwhelming majority of life is lived in the ordinary. Most of our days are not marked by dramatic successes or devastating failures. They are filled with conversations, small decisions, quiet acts of obedience, opportunities to encourage someone, moments of gratitude, and chances to love well.

Philip's story reminds me of this. An angel simply tells him to go down a desert road. There is no explanation, no grand announcement, just one small act of obedience. Philip goes, notices a man reading Isaiah, asks a simple question, and God changes a life. The miracle did not begin with the Ethiopian official. It began with Philip taking one ordinary step of obedience.

Job reminds me of something different but equally important. Life is fragile. We are here for only a little while, and trouble is simply part of living in a broken world. We cannot build our faith around circumstances because they are constantly changing. Some days bring joy. Others bring suffering. Neither defines God's presence.

Perhaps the greatest miracle is not found in extraordinary events but in God's quiet work through ordinary people who simply remain faithful. A parent loving their family. A teacher encouraging a student. A coach building character. A friend making a phone call. A neighbor showing kindness. These moments rarely make headlines, yet they may be the very places where God's kingdom advances.

I think I sometimes postpone living while waiting for something bigger. I dream about heroic accomplishments instead of embracing today's assignment. But Jesus never told us to pray for tomorrow's miracles. He told us to pray, "Give us today our daily bread." God's will is lived one day at a time, one act of obedience at a time, one conversation at a time.

If I want to experience God, I do not need to chase spectacular moments. I need to become fully present in the ordinary moments He has already placed before me. That is where most of life is lived. That is where character is formed. That is where love is given and received. And perhaps that is where God's greatest miracles have been quietly happening all along..

9“This, then, is how you should pray:

“ ‘Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

10your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

11Give us today our daily bread.

12And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

13And lead us not into temptation,^a

but deliver us from the evil one.^b ’

MATTHEW 6:9-13