Most days of our lives comprise ordinary moments like morning routines, familiar conversations, and responsibilities we’ve done a hundred times before. It’s easy to believe that these moments matter little, especially when we’re longing for something more meaningful. Yet Scripture reminds us that God often meets us not in the extraordinary, but in the everyday.
In today’s message, I want to encourage readers to recognize God’s presence and work in everyday routines, not just major life moments.
Find God in the Ordinary
Years ago I shared with our Sunday school class how I prayed to see a bear while we drove through one of the national parks and God answered that prayer. Someone responded with a comment about how they did not believe we should bother God with such trivial requests. I tried to hide my surprise at her thoughts. I’ve heard this sentiment before.
If we only communicate with God when we experience problems or issues, we are limiting our relationship with our Heaven Father. We live most of faith in the ordinary moments. God wants to take part in those moments and the extraordinary ones.
Just as parents want to be involved in every part of their children’s lives, God wants the same relationship with us.
Faith in Ordinary Moments
The Bible tells us many stories about how God works through ordinary tasks to fulfill His purpose. Some examples include:
- Ruth’s diligent, ordinary work of gleaning in the fields to provide for herself and Naomi. These chores led her to Boaz and restoration, weaving her into the lineage of Jesus.
- While tending sheep, Moses’ ordinary chore, he encountered the burning bush and received his calling to lead Israel.
- An ordinary Jewish girl, through a series of “coincidences” and hidden providence, Esther became queen. She saved her people from genocide.
God used these individuals in bigger events because they trusted Him with daily happenings.
Faith grows through consistency in the everyday events of life. Not just when we only trust Him with our big needs. God never lets the ordinary days go to waste.
Colossians 3:17 (NIV); “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
What Walking with God Daily Looks Like
Walking with God day-to-day means engaging in a relationship with Him through prayer, Scripture, and obedience, characterized by listening for His guidance, trusting Him in challenges, seeing Him in everyday moments, and living with love and peace, even when life is difficult. It involves acknowledging His presence constantly, not just in big events, but in simple, ordinary tasks and decisions, leading to spiritual growth and reliance on the Holy Spirit for direction. We also need to learn to offer gratitude for all the small blessings we receive daily. Our walk with God needs to become a relationship, not just a checklist.
When the Ordinary Feels Unimportant
All of us can feel that a daily routine can feel dull or insignificant. When the ordinary feels unimportant in faith, we can use it as a signal to remember God’s perspective: He uses the simple, overlooked things and people, finding purpose in your everyday efforts, and creating extraordinary impact through small acts, transforming humble situations into significant moments by His presence and power, not by human metrics.
God values faithfulness and relationships more than our visibility to the world.
Luke 16:10 (NIV); “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
Invitation to Notice God More
I encourage everyone to slow down and pay attention to the ordinary events in daily living and to pray for God to use them for His purpose. We can begin by noticing God in ordinary life through intentional awareness, cultivating gratitude for small things, seeing His presence in creation and others, and transforming daily tasks into prayerful moments by asking, “How are You present here?” Practices like mindful pauses, reflective prayer during commutes, and finding beauty in nature help shift our perspective, recognizing the divine in the mundane.
Where might God already be working in my daily life?
Remember that God walks with us, not ahead of us waiting for perfection
Closing Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, walk with me today. Open my eyes to see the subtle hints of your beauty, your glory, and your power in the things you’ve made for my nourishment and pleasure. Show me the people you invite me to know and care for. Fill me with wonder and worship as I sense your presence in the everyday. Amen.
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Grace and Peace to you,
Yvonne M. Morgan is a Christian #author, #blogger, and #speaker. #BibleGatewayPartner
Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, GO and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.”
Additional Resources:
Years ago, my son’s backpack filled with his college textbooks was stolen. I prayed for the return of his books–they were very costly. But I worried that this wasn’t a “big” enough thing to put before God. The next day, we found his packpack and books on top of the dumpster. Now I pray for people stopped along the highway, grumpy drivers, and for lots of “small” things. He is the BIG God.
Amen Katherine. I also pray every time I see fire or ambulance. God wants to take everything to him in prayer. Blessings
I’m thankful God is with us in the ordinary moments of life and in the times that are not ordinary. His presence brings peace and comfort. Have a blessed week! 🙂
Me too Melissa. It is a peaceful place to be. Blessings
Love this so much, Yvonne. I like how you discussed what walking with God daily looks like. It’s easy to get caught up in the mindset that our ordinary days don’t matter and we aren’t doing anything important for God. But even in Jesus own life and ministry we see him meeting people in their ordinary days.
Thank you Karen. Amen, God wants a daily relationship with us that includes all our ordinary moments. Blessings
I agree wholeheartedly! You are right that Scripture reminds us that God often meets us not in the extraordinary, but in the everyday. He cares! He wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives. Let’s not put God in a box but allow him access to every moment.
Amen Jessica and thanks for commenting. God is looking for a deeper relationship with all of us and cares about every aspect. Blessings