Creation Every Day: The Glorious Grind

Magazine work seems ingloriously monotonous. Sometimes, at the start of a new issue, my breath catches to think of doing the process over again.

Meanwhile, the Creator manages the universe largely by monotony. The sun rises and sets. The tides ebb and flow. Oceans turn to rain. The hours in a day and days in a week hold steady. Zinnias return with the same pretty faces. Tadpoles invariably morph into frogs. And every two weeks or so, my tastebuds die and regrow.

My aversion to monotony reveals many unholy traits. Pride. Impatience. Ingratitude. Restlessness. Can the grind not also be glorious? Can I watch each ordinary day unfold without craving the thrill of the unknown? Can I patiently wait in the now without wishing for the next? Can I be grateful for the stability found in predictability?

If I’m looking, monotony reveals God’s glory awaiting in the fixed and familiar—my ever-growing fingernails, the North Star standing sentry in the night sky, the new digital folder awaiting fresh files, the mercy of God renewing my spirit each morning.

Perhaps monotonous is just another word for faithful.