READ: PSALM 145:1-3; ACTS 16:22-25; ROMANS 12:10-18

When you think about snow days, what comes to mind? Maybe sleeping in, then going sledding in all that fresh snow, then drinking hot chocolate to warm up? Snow days can bring unexpected fun and rest, but they can also bring disappointment sometimes. Have your plans ever been derailed by a snow day? While it’s fun to get the day off from school, snow days also mean you probably don’t get to see your friends or do other things you may have been looking forward to because all that snow can make traveling questionable or even impossible.

Throughout our lives, we’ll have many days when things don’t go like we expect. But Jesus wants to walk with us through all these disappointments, and He gives us unexpected gifts along the way. No matter what happens, we have an opportunity to rest in Jesus and enjoy being in relationship with Him—every day of our lives.

Each day is a gift from Jesus, and He wants to help us rejoice in the days He gives us. We can use them to bask in His love for us, and to show that love to others—whether it’s a school day or not, whether it’s a sunny day or a snow day. We can find something to enjoy every day, even when things don’t go according to plan.

So, how can you be attentive to God’s presence on this day He has given you? What unexpected gifts could He be setting in front of you? May today be a day where you find joy and hope in God’s abiding presence and His unchanging love. • A. W. Smith

• What things have not gone according to plan today? Consider using the space below to talk to God about your feelings about what’s happened.

• What are you thankful for today? Where have you seen glimpses of Jesus’s presence and love?

• How would you like to use the remainder of your day?

• On days when the disappointments just keep piling up, it can be helpful to remember that Jesus knows firsthand what it’s like to experience the pains of human life, and He longs to comfort us in all our troubles and give us hope. His love for us holds steady even on the hardest days, and He is always worthy of our praise. (Romans 5:5; 8:38-39; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7; Hebrews 4:14-16)

This is the day the LORD has made; let’s rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 (CSB)