SEPTEMBER 12, 2026

   “I must be willing to give whatever it takes to do good to others. This requires that I be willing to give until it hurts. Otherwise, there is no true love in me, and I bring injustice, not peace, to those around me.” 

― Mother Teresa

PROVERBS 21-22 

25The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him,

because his hands refuse to work.

26All day long he craves for more,

but the righteous give without sparing. (21:25-26)

2 CORINTHIANS 4

16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

JOURNAL 

Working, giving, and loving are the natural results of being transformed by God’s love. When I truly understand that I am already loved, my attention no longer has to remain fixed on myself, what I need, what I fear, or what tomorrow might bring. I am free to become fully present to the life God has given me today. I can work, serve, give, and love the person standing in front of me. Mother Teresa’s words, “give until it hurts,” challenge me because that kind of love requires more than good intentions. It requires my presence. It asks me to give myself completely to this moment rather than constantly protecting myself for some imagined future.

Maybe that is why surrender has to happen every morning. Yesterday’s surrender cannot live today for me. No matter how faithful, productive, joyful, or present I was yesterday, today is a new life placed into my hands. My heart will follow whatever I feed it. If I feed it fear, craving, comparison, distraction, or concern about tomorrow, I will slowly leave the present moment. But if I surrender again to God, I can return to what is actually here: this person, this problem, this work, this conversation, this opportunity to love.

“There are no days off” does not mean I must live exhausted or constantly striving. It means there are no days that are disposable. There are no ordinary days to rush through on the way to something better. Today is where God is. Today is where I can love. Today is where I can work. Today is where I can give. Even the difficulty of today belongs here. Paul says that although outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day. Not someday. Not when everything is finally settled. Day by day.

Jesus tells me to remain in His love. That is presence. Remain here. Abide here. Receive His love and then give it to whoever God places in front of me. When I do that, tomorrow no longer needs to be solved today. Yesterday no longer needs to be relived. I simply have to give myself to the life that is happening right now.

Perhaps this is where complete joy is found. Not in finally arranging life so that nothing hurts, but in becoming completely available to God within the life I already have. To work when there is work to do. To rest when it is time to rest. To listen when someone needs me. To face the problem that is actually in front of me. To love without calculating what I will receive in return. To give even when giving costs me something.

Today is not preparation for my life.

Today is my life.

 9As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Remain in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 

JOHN 15:9-12