Daily Devotion

“God doesn't demand success from you; He only asks you to try. Even if you feel like just an insignificant pencil, as long as you hold it in His hand, He can create miracles.”

Mother Teresa · Biographical Remarks

Scripture

Zechariah 4:6 He said to me, “This was spoken by the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”

Reflection

We are accustomed to the worldly logic of "rewarding merit," always believing that success stems from meticulous planning or extraordinary talent. However, Mother Teresa's "pencil analogy" and the declaration in Zechariah offer a gentle shift: we need not feel inferior because of our insignificance, nor arrogant because of our strength. Like yesterday's Bible study and today's skiing, what seems like meticulous planning and skillful technique is actually the Holy Spirit guiding us in small ways and supporting us in the ordinary. When we position ourselves as "the pencil in God's hand," pressure transforms into peace—because the quality of the work does not depend on the material of the pencil, but on the hand that holds it. We only need to maintain spiritual sensitivity and obedience, willingly being used by Him, so that even on the most ordinary days, we can paint eternal miracles under His pen.