Manna for Today

A few months ago, I found myself sitting with Exodus 16. I wasn’t planning on reading it. Honestly, I just stumbled into it and couldn’t let it go. Something about the story drew me in. It felt personal.

In this chapter, the Israelites are newly free after generations of slavery, and now they’re in the wilderness trying to figure out what life looks like next. They’re tired. They’re hungry. They’re scared. And God responds to their need in a very specific way: He sends them bread from heaven.

The Israelites called this bread “manna,” which literally means “what is it?” because they didn’t recognize it at first. They had prayed for provision, and God provided, but not in the way they expected. He gave them just enough each day, and asked them not to store any for later. No stockpiling. No back-up plan. Just trust that there would be more tomorrow.

That idea has become a quiet, daily reminder for me: there’s enough for today.

Not tomorrow. Not next week. Just today.

When we meet the Israelites in Exodus 16, they’ve just been set free from Egypt. They’ve seen miracle after miracle. But freedom doesn’t look the way they thought it would. Instead of rest and ease, it looks like wandering. Hunger sets in. Fear creeps in. And just like that, they start longing for what they left behind.

That hit me hard. Because I’ve been there. I’ve been the one praying for a change, for something new. And then, once it came, I looked back and thought that maybe it was easier before. At least back then I had stability. At least then I had a plan. At least then I knew what to expect.

Fear and uncertainty have a way of distorting the past and making it hard to see what’s right in front of us. Just like the Israelites, I started doubting. I started blaming. I forgot all the good that had brought me here because I was so focused on what I didn’t have yet.

But here’s what really struck me: God heard them. In Exodus 16:11, He says, “I have heard the grumbling of the people of Israel.”

He didn’t turn away. He didn’t get angry. He simply listened. And not in a passive way -He really noticed what was going on. He cared.

That changes everything. God hears us when we’re overwhelmed. When we’re scared. When we don’t even know what to ask for. And He moves toward us with what we actually need.

For the Israelites, that meant food - meat at night and bread in the morning. But it came with a catch: take only what you need. Don’t stash it away for later. Trust that there’ll be more tomorrow.

That part really stuck with me.

Because I’ve been trying to stash things away too. Not just money, but time, energy, and mental space. I’ve tried to gather enough so I wouldn’t have to feel uncertain. But I’m realizing that it never really works. Instead, I just feel more tired and more anxious.

Through this passage, I started to feel God nudging me back to something simpler: just take what you need for today. Let that be enough. Manna for today.

This became especially real to me while I was in Sri Lanka. Nothing was predictable. The most basic tasks took effort. Charging a laptop meant finding the right kind of cable extension. Getting anywhere meant navigating chaotic traffic—it was like a real life Mario racing game. Conversations took everything I had just to understand. We’d leave for the day with all our gear, not knowing what we’d find. My normal routines were gone, and our plans rarely went as expected.

And yet, somehow, it all worked out. We met incredible people who opened up and shared their stories with us. We hit our goals. It wasn’t always smooth, and some projects didn’t go as planned, but we had what we needed.

Not always what I pictured, but always enough... more than enough.

That phrase, "manna for today," kept showing up. I’d become stressed over money or worried about work, and I’d feel that quiet reminder: you have enough for today.

That whisper still stays with me. Especially on hard days. Especially in grief. Especially when the future feels uncertain.

Knowing that nothing catches God off guard doesn’t make the pain go away. But it helps me breathe. It helps me notice the small ways He is still showing up.

Since coming home, I’ve been trying to live this out more intentionally. Some days it means getting through my to-do list. Other days it means resting. Some days it’s changing my plans mid-day even when it doesn't make sense. Some days it’s giving myself a little more peace in the middle of a hard moment.

It doesn’t always look the same, but it always reminds me: I have what I need for today.

So I want to gently ask you: What would enough for today look like for you right now?

Not just in terms of tasks or things you think you need, but deeper. What truth do you need to hear today? What’s one small reminder that could help you breathe a little easier?

If it helps, I’ve made a free digital wallpaper with the phrase "manna for today" - just something simple to keep this reminder close. And if you're up for it, here are two questions you might want to sit with:

1. Where have I been trying to store up or control more than I need to?

2. What would it look like to trust that I have enough for today?

You don’t have to figure everything out at once. You don’t have to carry it all.

Just start with today.