SHEETS

BY WALLACE CALEB BATES

Earlier today, I put a new set of sheets on my bed. They feel like a cotton shirt with just the right amount of stretch.

Our lives offer many opportunities to stop and refresh. Sometimes, those moments involve putting new sheets on the bed. Sometimes, they come when we admit that we have not been on our A-game lately.

There is no shame in that — it is so easy to get caught in what feels like a never-ending spiral of sameness. The same breakfast. The same routine. The same habits.

However, each day is different, despite the ways we might approach things in the same way. Each sunrise carries new mercies, whether we acknowledge them or not.

Some days, the refreshment is small — a deep breath before stepping into a familiar responsibility or a kind word received unexpectedly. On other days, it is as noticeable as the difference between worn-out sheets and a crisp, new set.

The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:6, "Therefore, we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day."

Often, this renewal is quiet and steady, like the turning of a calendar page.

When we allow ourselves to see each day as an opportunity for renewal, we step out of the cycle of sameness and into the reality of God's ongoing work in our lives.

The same breakfast can nourish a different challenge. The same routine can create space for unexpected joy. The same habits can be refined into disciplines that shape our future.

Life is not stagnant. Even in the seasons that feel repetitive, the Lord is moving.

Just as the sheets on a bed can be changed and refreshed, so can our hearts, minds, and attitudes. We need only to recognize the opportunity before us and step into it with gratitude.

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