The direction of ordinary days

There seem to be very few special days in life. It is easy to think they are all ordinary, even sub-ordinary. We view most days as normal, uneventful or boring in the grand scheme. The few days that distinguish themselves as special are going to happen: Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Year's Day, birthdays, beginning a new year of classes, a new school, graduation, marriage, babies, etc. The special days however don't happen without the preparation and experience of everyday routines. The key is learning to accept each day, each activity, even each person encountered, as planned and organized by God himself. Each growing season will eventually yield its desired fruit.

For the Christian, reality is that no day should be boring, uneventful or without purpose. Unfortunately, we have often failed to experience this reality. The new nature given at salvation is a forever possession. It is given by God, grown by God, and perfected by Him. Nothing is ordinary about what He implants into believers. The difficulty comes in our learning to recognize His nurturing of that new nature. We need a response of faith that He is active in our day, rather than our usual negative response to only what we see. Regular exposure to His Word will remove the blinders and stimulate growth.

The very thought that another bad day is happening is the proof of God's purpose for us! His strength is perfected in us on our weak days! Every ordinary day is full of opportunities for His greatness to be evidenced. But having forgotten that we were purged from our old sins, we blindly plow through our days unaware of what He is doing for us. All that He has prepared is good. If only we would remember that good qualities are usually grown and strengthened by pressure. Unfortunately there seem to be no shortcuts. So pressure it is, and by His pressure we will grow.