Friday, March 6, 2015
Day 17: Romans 8:28
Romans 8:28, King James Version (KJV): 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Looking for God in the Small Things in Life
“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” – Mother Teresa
There was a period in my life, about ten years ago, when I was yearning to learn where God would lead me. I believed there must be some great plan into which I would fit. I was pretty pleased at where my life had led to that point, though almost every step, twist, and turn of my journey had been unforeseen. Well, unforeseen, by me.
I spent all of 2004 in Iraq, and some of the following year. The job I had consisted of very long days, every day, seven days a week. The sleeping areas were half a mile from where I worked and it became my custom to pray during the walk that came at the end of the day. It was usually around 10:30 so it was always dark, almost always quiet, and I was most frequently alone. Over the course of my time there I would make that nightly journey every bit of 400 times.
At one point, I began to wonder philosophically about what God might have in store for my future life. What was His plan and where did I fit? For many nights, I prayed for guidance and a revelation onto which I could take hold and start that journey. Night after night I asked the same questions.
I was looking for a sign. In my mind I was searching for something grand, something significant, and something worthy of a lifetime of pursuit. Others had been told, “Go, do,” and they had. How grand it must be to know what God wants you to do, to know you are on the path. How glorious to be performing God’s will and to know that you are doing exactly what The Creator wants you to do. I thought if I prayed about it enough, especially at this time of my life, God would answer me. He didn’t…but he did.
On one of those long prayerful walks, on a particularly dark and quiet night, I happened to see a shooting star. It occurred to me that evidence of God’s grace was present everywhere, every day. The night, the stars, things found in nature so intricate and complex that could only be formed by the hand of God, the good in people, even in the midst of war.
Support from friends and family back home, and from people I didn’t even know. Growth in my faith, closeness to God at a level not felt before. God was everywhere. This was my sign. God is present everywhere, at all times I was supposed to look for the presence of God in the small things I encounter every day.
Every day we have an opportunity to find God. Every day we have an opportunity to let God into our lives, to appreciate God’s work, to make a small difference in some else’s life, to help, to do, to serve. Perhaps there is someone in need, someone who is searching, or someone who is not looking at all, not thinking, but that one act of kindness on my part, one act of grace could bring them to the realization that God is there, in their lives, reaching out, yearning to be embraced.
I am not an evangelist, but I like to help people. I love to help my neighbors. I like to fix things and solve problems. I like to give directions. I like to help people at Home Depot who may be looking for something or trying to decide what to buy to solve their “do it yourself” problem. They are easy to spot. Sometimes I pass a complete stranger that looks like they could just use a smile and a kind word. I came to the realization that God presents me with opportunities every day to make a small difference in people’s lives. If I can make someone think, “that was nice, he didn’t have to do that” then I was part of God’s plan that day.
We’ve all heard the stories of people who were in great need, and a complete stranger came to their aid just when they needed it most. Then as the stories go we find out that the person who provided the assistance realizes God provided them an opportunity to spread His grace. They acted, they pleased God, and they were rewarded. These stories lift me up and I am proud of the times when I was the helper. Then I think of the opportunities I let pass by, the times I don’t act. I realize all too often I come up short, fail. Fortunately, thanks to God, if I just pay attention, I’ll get another chance tomorrow.
Dear God, Remind me that while looking for grand miracles I can be blind to the everyday reminders of Your presence. Open my eyes so I can see You every day because surely You are there. Show me opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others and when You do, give me the wisdom and strength to act. May the act of sharing Your grace bring comfort to those in need and give me the will to do the work that You have chosen me to do. It’s in the name of Your precious son Jesus that I pray. Amen.
Contributed by Mike
