For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. Ephesians 6:15 (NLT)
Have you ever thought about all the times God shows up for you on an ordinary day? He is in every detail of your life and mine…and everyone’s. We don’t notice it because we can never wrap our mind around the shear number of times He intervenes on our behalf. Most of the time we are ignorant of our absolute need of Him. Many times we let our pride tell us that we handled it, or if it didn’t go our way, the blame rests with others.
I once told a colleague that God helped me find my shoes each morning. I was surprised at how vehemently she responded.
“Don’t be ridiculous! God has more important things to concern Himself with than your shoes!”
I wasn’t saying that my shoes were of any particular importance. In fact, that, I thought, was the beauty of God. He made time for me, in my petty need, to help me find my shoes.
Now before you start to think that I expect God to deliver my shoes to my exact location when I ask for them, that would be ridiculous. God is certainly not my butler. Let’s explore what I do mean.
In the morning, when I worked as a teacher and had a young daughter and her possessions to keep track of, I would, almost every day find myself searching for a pair of shoes (which I am sorry to say would have been wherever I had kicked them off last). Believe me, I would have loved for them to appear out of thin air, but God doesn’t work like that most of the time. What He did do was:
- give me the sense of sight and corrective lenses to see clearly
- give me a memory to lead me in the right direction
- give me problem solving skills to narrow down the search
- give me confidence to call on His name
He helped me find my shoes each morning, and He still does.
I know it’s not fashionable to be so dependent, but I am and we all are! We just don’t like to acknowledge it. We want to be proud of our accomplishments, but pride can and often does blind us to the help we got along the way…and all help is by the grace of God.
As I sit here contemplating my “achievements”, I realize how little I had to do with them. Let’s start at the beginning.
God allowed me to be born in the United States of America. I was born healthy and a girl in the mid-sixties, when doors to many careers were opening up to women, I was born into a family of comfortable means, so I never worried about my next meal or where I would sleep the night. I was afforded the blessing of a good public school education (yes, those used to exist) and many opportunites to learn and grow.
The experiences I was afforded, the people I encountered, even the problems I faced were all gifts from God.
Sometimes God shows up in spectacular fashion, but most of the time we brush right past Him, never noticing what He did. I think that’s a shame. Our lives are enriched by a gracious and loving God, and we miss it.
Why?
I think it’s because we are not looking for it.
Jeremiah 29:13 says, “If you look for Me wholeheartedly, you will find Me.” This is a promise from God! If you look, not casually, not fleetingly, not distractedly, but wholeheartedly God is visible in your everyday life.
Get in the habit of looking for God throughout your day. Remember He is in all the details of your life. See if you can spot Him quietly making your life a bit more blessed. You may even find Him in a time when things are not going your way.
For example:
You are waiting in a long line and your favorite song is playing. (See what He did there?)
Your power is out, but you have shelter from the storm. (See what He did there?)
You fill in for a coworker and are noticed by upper management. (See what He did there?)
The next time you recognize God’s fingerprints on your day, praise Him. Let Him know “I see what You did there.”