If I’m honest, most days I feel like I’ve failed in some ways- the house wasn’t clean enough, I wasn’t present enough, I snapped at someone, my heart didn’t feel like serving . . . A lot of days, I can tend to wallow in it. Lament at my lack of discipline, grace, patience. But what if I didn’t do that? What if I welcomed these moments as a reminder of how much I NEED God’s presence daily? What if I used these moments to lean harder into His empowering grace? What if I embraced these moments as reminders that I CANNOT DO THIS ALONE? I will never be enough. I’m a (redeemed) sinner and I’m reminded of that daily. But my days don’t have to end there. My days don’t have to end in my sinful failing. I can instead look to the Lord who graciously LAVISHES us with His presence and doesn’t leave us at sinful failure. He refreshes us with His Word when we lean into Him; He fills our gaps when we acknowledge our inability to “measure” up; He lifts us up on wings like eagles when we are honest about our fatigue and rundown heart. He didn’t just save us then leave us. He is with us daily. In the hidden moments, the shameful moments, and the moments we choose to turn back to our need for Him.

What if today we choose to say “Lord I need You. I need Your presence. I need Your grace. And I need Your strength. Because without You, my heart fails at these every time.” What if today we used our shortcomings as a reminder of our deep need for His daily grace in our lives? What if today we gladly acknowledged our weaknesses as moments that His glory shone through?

I want my kids to know that I can’t do anything alone but only with Christ who strengthens me and holds me close and is ever present in my shortcomings. I want my kids to know that though I most certainly fail them sometimes, He never will. And I want them to know that He will exceed every expectation they have because He is faithful and His promises are true.

Thank you lord for new mercies every morning, strength throughout each day, and grace afresh every night. May I rely on these, and not myself, every day; and may I rejoice that my life can be a daily witness to Your strength over my failings.