Sometimes it is hard to see God’s fingerprints in the push and pull of everyday life.
It can be hard to see how God is present in the moments between opening your eyes and that first cup of coffee. You’ve barely gulped down your coffee, when a child who can’t find a textbook, or a colleague who wants a report on their desk in five minutes is calling your name.
Sometimes in the grind of life God seems further away than a December vacation.
I know the feeling well, but I’ve found that there are a few things I can do that help me to see God in the stress of life or even sometimes in the tedium of the same routine.
3 ways to find God in everyday life:
1. Notice more
When I start to wonder where God is in my everyday life I try to slow down and pay attention to the details in the things God has created. For me this means becoming more childlike in the way I view the world. We have all seen toddlers become absolutely transfixed by the beauty of something commonplace.
Look around your home or work place and think if I was a toddler what in my environment would absolutely fascinate me? Then take a minute to enjoy it. Perhaps it is as simple as really looking at the leaf pattern of the pot plant in your office, taking in the beauty and remembering the One who made the plant.
2. Practice thankfulness
Over the last few years Ann Voskamp’s book, One Thousand Gifts, has not only become a bestseller but has provided a blue print for anyone who wants to find joy in everyday life. A farmer’s wife, Ann began to record three things every day that she was thankful for. This habit of gratitude shows an increase of happiness of 25%.
I also find that it makes me more aware of the places where God is meeting me in everyday life. When I am looking for things to be thankful for I hear God’s voice in the compliment from a friend, I taste him in the freshness of an orange and I touch him in the softness of a baby’s skin.
3. Listen to others
Maybe this one works because I find I love talking more than I love listening, or maybe it works because when I learn to listen to the needs of others I become more tuned in to how God is prompting me to be his hands and feet. Instead of sharing your own weekend adventures, ask someone else what they did, and then wait and see if there is a need God has uniquely equipped you to help him meet.
Wendy is married to Xylon, who talks non-stop about cycling, and makes her laugh. She writes for anyone who has ever held a loved one’s hand through illness, ever believed in God despite hard circumstances or ever left on a spontaneous overseas holiday with just a backpack. You can follow her story and subscribe to receive her free eBook, Life, Life and More Life at her website.
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