The dishes are piled in the sink.
The laundry needs folding. Again.
You’re sitting in traffic. Answering emails. Making dinner. Doing the same tasks you did yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that.
And you’re wondering: Where is God in all of this?
You see other Christians posting about their “powerful quiet times” and “mountain-top experiences,” and you think, “That’s not my life. My life is ordinary. Mundane. Repetitive.”
Here’s what I want you to know: God is not waiting for you to have a mountain-top experience to show up. He’s right there in your ordinary moments—and learning to find Him there changes everything.
The Problem with Waiting for the Mountain-Top
We’ve been conditioned to think that God shows up in the spectacular:
- The powerful worship service
- The week-long retreat
- The answered prayer that’s undeniably miraculous
- The dramatic “God moment” that makes a great testimony
And those moments are real and beautiful. But here’s the problem: If we only look for God in the spectacular, we miss Him in the everyday.
The truth is: Most of life is ordinary.
Most days, you won’t have a dramatic spiritual experience. You’ll wake up, drink your coffee, go to work, make meals, do the dishes, and go to bed. Repeat.
But that doesn’t mean God is absent.
In fact, God is doing some of His most important work in the ordinary moments—if we have eyes to see Him there.
Jesus in the Everyday
Look at Jesus’s life. Yes, He had spectacular moments—miracles, transfiguration, resurrection. But most of His three years of ministry were spent in ordinary activities:
Walking from town to town. Not dramatic. Just walking. Mile after mile. Day after day.
Eating meals with people. Breaking bread. Having conversations. Sharing food.
Teaching in everyday settings. By the lake. On a hillside. In someone’s home.
Helping with practical needs. Providing wine at a wedding. Feeding hungry crowds. Healing sick people.
Being present with people. Listening. Answering questions. Showing up.
Jesus didn’t wait for spectacular moments to be present. He was fully present in the ordinary.
And He invites us to experience Him the same way.
Why We Miss God in the Ordinary
If God is present in the ordinary, why do we miss Him so often?
1. We’re Moving Too Fast
When you’re rushing through your day, checking boxes, and thinking about the next thing, you can’t notice God’s presence in the current thing.
You can’t experience God at 100 mph.
2. We’re Looking for the Wrong Thing
We expect God to show up in lightning bolts and burning bushes. So we miss Him in the sunrise, the kind word from a stranger, the moment of unexpected joy.
3. We’re Distracted
Between phones, to-do lists, worries, and mental clutter, we’re rarely fully present in any moment—which makes it nearly impossible to notice God in that moment.
4. We Think Ordinary Means Insignificant
We’ve bought the lie that if it’s not big or impressive, it doesn’t matter. So we dismiss the ordinary as unspiritual.
But God doesn’t measure significance the way we do.
Where to Find God in Your Ordinary Day
Let me give you practical examples of where God shows up in everyday life:
In Your Morning Coffee
That first sip of coffee in the morning? That’s a gift from God.
The warmth in your hands. The aroma. The taste. The moment of quiet before the day begins.
God is there, inviting you to be present, to pause, to breathe.
“Taste and see that the Lord is good.” – Psalm 34:8
In the Commute
Traffic. Again. The same drive you make every day.
But what if, instead of viewing it as wasted time, you saw it as time with God?
Talk to Him. Listen to worship music. Pray for the people in the cars around you. Notice the beauty in the sky.
God is there in the car with you.
In the Laundry
Folding laundry. Washing dishes. Vacuuming. The tasks that never stay done.
What if you saw these as acts of service and love? What if you thanked God for the clothes to wash, the dishes that held food, the home to clean?
God is there in the serving of others.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” – Colossians 3:23
In Conversations
The chat with your coworker. The text from a friend. The bedtime conversation with your child.
God is there in the connection, in the listening, in the being present with another person.
When you love someone, you’re reflecting God’s love.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God.” – 1 John 4:7
In the Struggle
The hard conversation you need to have. The problem at work. The frustration with your spouse. The moment when patience is required but hard to find.
God is there in the choice. In the opportunity to respond with grace instead of anger. With patience instead of frustration. With love instead of selfishness.
These ordinary moments of choice are where spiritual growth happens.
In the Meal
The dinner you make. The food on your plate. The people (or person, or even just you) at the table.
God is there in the provision, in the nourishment, in the community.
Every meal is an opportunity for gratitude and presence.
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” – 1 Corinthians 10:31
In the Pause
The red light. The waiting room. The moment between tasks.
What if, instead of immediately reaching for your phone, you paused and breathed? What if you took that moment to notice God’s presence?
God is there in the pauses, waiting for you to notice Him.
In the Sunset
The sky at the end of the day. The colors painting the horizon.
God is there in the beauty, in the reminder that He’s the Creator, in the invitation to stop and wonder.
Creation declares God’s glory—even in your ordinary neighborhood.
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” – Psalm 19:1
How to Practice God’s Presence in the Ordinary
Here are practical ways to start experiencing God in your everyday moments:
1. Slow Down
You can’t notice God if you’re rushing. Build margin into your day. Move a little slower. Breathe a little deeper.
Practice: Set aside one hour this week where you intentionally do everything slower than usual. Notice how it changes your awareness.
2. Practice Gratitude Throughout the Day
Gratitude opens your eyes to God’s goodness in the ordinary.
Practice: Set reminders on your phone for three random times. When the reminder goes off, name three things you’re grateful for in that moment.
3. Engage Your Senses
God gave you five senses. Use them to notice His presence.
Practice: During one ordinary task today, fully engage your senses. What do you see, hear, smell, taste, feel? Thank God for the gift of sensation.
4. Invite God Into Your Tasks
Instead of rushing through tasks to get them done, invite God into them.
Practice: Before you start a task, pause and pray: “God, I invite You into this moment. Help me be present. Help me see You here.”
5. Look for Jesus in People
Every person you encounter bears God’s image.
Practice: When you interact with someone today, silently pray: “Help me see You in this person. Help me love them the way You do.”
6. Create Intentional Pauses
Don’t fill every second. Build pauses into your day.
Practice: Set three “pause alarms” on your phone. When they go off, stop what you’re doing, take three deep breaths, and acknowledge God’s presence.
7. Practice the Prayer of Examen
At the end of each day, reflect on where you saw God.
Practice: Before bed, ask yourself: “Where did I see God today? When did I feel His presence? When did I miss Him?”
The Sacrament of the Ordinary
Brother Lawrence, a 17th-century monk, called this “practicing the presence of God.” He found God just as much in washing dishes in the monastery kitchen as in formal prayer times.
He said: “The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer, and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen… I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees.”
He turned ordinary tasks into acts of worship.
You can too.
When you fold laundry, you’re serving your family—and serving God.
When you show up to work and do it well, you’re being faithful with what God has given you.
When you listen to a friend, you’re loving as Jesus loved.
When you pause to notice beauty, you’re acknowledging the Creator.
The ordinary becomes sacred when we invite God into it.
Stop Waiting for the Mountain-Top
Here’s what I’ve learned: If you’re waiting for life to be spectacular before you experience God, you’ll miss Him most of your life.
Because most of life is ordinary.
Most days won’t have dramatic miracles or powerful spiritual experiences.
Most days will be coffee and traffic and work and dishes and bedtime routines.
But God is in all of it.
He’s not waiting on the mountain for you to climb up to Him. He’s walking with you in the valley of the everyday.
The question is: Are you noticing Him there?
My Coffee Cup Epiphany
I had a moment a few years ago that changed how I see the ordinary.
I was rushing through my morning, stressed about the day ahead, barely tasting my coffee as I mentally ran through my to-do list.
And suddenly, I felt this gentle nudge: Slow down. Be here.
So I stopped. I put my phone down. I held my coffee cup with both hands and really tasted it. I looked out the window and noticed the light. I took a deep breath.
And I felt God’s presence so tangibly in that ordinary moment.
Not because anything spectacular happened. But because I finally slowed down enough to notice He was there.
That’s when I realized: I’d been missing God all along—not because He wasn’t showing up, but because I wasn’t paying attention.
Now, my morning coffee is one of my favorite parts of the day. Not because the coffee is spectacular (though it’s pretty good!), but because it’s become a moment where I intentionally meet with Jesus.
That’s why I created “Coffee & Conversations with Jesus“—because I believe God wants to meet us in the ordinary, everyday moments. Like coffee.
Your Invitation This Week
Here’s what I want you to do this week:
Choose one ordinary, everyday activity. Maybe it’s your morning coffee. Your commute. Folding laundry. Making dinner. Your lunch break.
For the next seven days, intentionally invite God into that moment.
Slow down. Be present. Engage your senses. Thank Him for that moment. Look for Him there.
Watch what happens when you stop rushing and start noticing.
I think you’ll be surprised how present God has been all along—you just weren’t seeing Him.
A Prayer for Ordinary Moments
“God, forgive me for missing You in the ordinary. I’ve been so focused on the spectacular that I’ve overlooked Your presence in the everyday. Teach me to slow down. Help me be present. Open my eyes to see You in my coffee, my commute, my conversations, my tasks. Remind me that You’re not just in the mountain-top moments—You’re walking with me in the valley of the ordinary. Thank You for being present in every moment of my life, whether spectacular or mundane. Help me live like I believe that. Amen.”
Let’s Talk
I want to hear from you:
- Where have you noticed God in an ordinary moment recently?
- What helps you stay present and aware of God throughout your day?
- What’s your biggest challenge with finding God in the everyday?
Share in the comments below!
Keep Finding Jesus in the Everyday
Want daily encouragement to find Jesus in your ordinary moments?
Join our “Coffee & Conversations with Jesus” email series—7 days of short devotionals designed for your morning routine. Perfect for busy people who want more Jesus in their everyday life.
Or check out “Calm Down: 7 Days to Peace” for help finding God’s presence even in overwhelming seasons.
Related Posts:
- How to Hear God’s Voice in Your Everyday Life
- But God Moments: When God Changed Everything
- When You Can’t Calm Down: A Christian’s Guide to Finding Real Peace
Blessings and peace,
Wanda
Following Jesus 101 Ministries
Helping hearts find fresh starts with Jesus
P.S. Stop waiting for the mountain-top. God is right there with you in your ordinary, beautiful, everyday life. Slow down and notice Him today.
