When Life Becomes Too Ordinary (where to find miracles)

For most of us, our lives appear so commonplace, that we rarely (if ever) expect miracles.

Because miracles, well, they’re just too big. And for most of us, our lives are just too ordinary. Certainly no miracles are happening here.

Yet as Christians, the Divine works in our daily lives and actually in us. And that’s miraculous. Maybe it’s time we learn to recognize it.

Miracles

Grandma, Samantha, and Grandpa

My lovely 12-year-old niece, Samantha, has no lingering effects of being born at only 27 weeks gestation. Given her rough start, her life alone is a miracle (her twin brother, Adam [his birth weight a mere 11-1/2 ounces], sadly passed into Jesus’ arms at just 3-1/2 weeks).

Samantha’s life and health are examples of the great and glorious things we think about when mentioning miracles. Yet great and glorious doesn’t mean showy and obvious. Too often we equate the two.

We expect a miracle to be striking, attention grabbing. But more often, God performs behind-the-scenes, under-the-radar kind.

We expect a miracle to be striking, attention grabbing. But more often, God performs under-the-radar kind. Share on X

Not that these miracles are any less awesome, but they happen without fanfare in the middle of our day-to-day affairs.

If we’re not intentional about looking for them, they become lumped into the ordinary and mundane. We begin to see them as nothing special.

When in reality, these quiet miracles display God’s divine power just like my niece’s life does.

Quiet miracles display God's divine power just like the more striking ones. Share on X

In the Bible, I read about all kinds of miraculous events and wish I could experience them:

• Elijah’s many encounters with the Lord, from God calling ravens to feed him to raising the widows son from death to calling down fire from heaven.
• Paul’s surprise life-changing encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus.
• Mary’s mission to carry, give birth to, and raise the Son of God!
• Abraham’s and Sarah’s miraculous gift of parenthood at ages 100 and 90, respectively.
• David’s anointing as king when just a lad, his near-impossible defeat of Goliath, and his divinely appointed visits from the prophet Nathan.
• The abundance of miracles the 12 disciples were privy to as they walked with Jesus and the healings they later performed themselves.

It’s all so exciting and … well, miraculous!

Then I look at those whom I know who serve God in big adventures and see Him moving in big ways.

• Those who travel on mission trips and return with God stories that awe and inspire.
• Speakers who find many hearts surrendered to Jesus after a presentation.
• Authors who receive messages of hearts moved and lives changed through the words they wrote.
• Founders and directors of non-profits that save women from a life-time of sex slavery, families from starvation, and Christians from persecution.

Again exciting and miraculous!

God’s Divine Hand

But miraculous also exists in the rising and setting of the sun. It exists in

• the breath we take each day,
• the leaves that unfurl in the spring,
• the rain that waters the flowers,
• the steps our babies take,
• the hug we give to a hurting friend,
• the seed of hope we plant in the heart of a desperate single mom,
• the growth spurt of a son,
• the faith we have,
• the encouragement we provide to someone’s unwanted son or daughter,
• the smile we offer to a struggling brother or sister,
• the love we pour into our families,
• the communion we have with the Father.

Because what is a miracle but God’s divine work in our lives? But these are so commonplace, you could argue. Miracles should be extraordinary occurrences.

Anything but Ordinary

A life far from ordinary

I agree. But masked in the commonplace is the extraordinary.

Isn’t renewed hope extraordinary?

Isn’t new life extraordinary?

Isn’t any life extraordinary?

Isn’t faith in God extraordinary?

Isn’t selfless love extraordinary?

Isn’t growth and renewal and transformation and redemption and restoration extraordinary?

Yes, my life, and maybe yours, can sometimes look so ordinary and miracle-less. I sometimes long for anything besides this same old existence. 

Yet when God’s hand is in it, just like in Samantha’s life (and even in bringing Adam to Him), it’s miraculous. That makes our days anything but ordinary, no matter how unremarkable they may appear.

Life can sometimes look so ordinary and miracle-less. Yet when God's hand is in it, it's miraculous. Share on X

Reflections: What quiet miracles do you see in your life? What seemingly ordinary events or occurrences in your days is God’s hand in? 

I am always thrilled to link up with Suzie Eller for #livefreeThursday and this week’s prompt, “It’s a miracle.” Click on the image to check out the wonderful encouragement.