Encountering God in the Ordinary

I used to believe I had to “get away” to encounter God. 

From an early age, I was taught—implicitly and explicitly—that anywhere but here was where I’d meet Him. My youth pastor would encourage us to attend “youth camp,” assuring us that this was a special time when we would connect with Jesus. And it was.

As meaningful as those retreats were, the moment I descended the hill and returned to normal life, the spiritual “high” faded quickly. 

As believers, we often assume that spiritual intimacy happens in “holy” places—church services, morning devotions, Bible studies, or retreats. But Scripture presents a very different story. 

The God who meets Moses in a burning bush also meets Hagar in the wilderness…Ruth in a field… David in a pasture… Mary in an ordinary home… the disciples on an ordinary shoreline. 

While “burning bush” experiences (or spiritual retreats) are incredibly sacred, so is the ordinary. 

God is extraordinarily present in ordinary places. 

Subconsciously, it’s common to separate our lives into two categories: spiritual life and everything else. I’ve been known to pray in the morning, then rush into my day as if Christ stays behind, waiting for me to return. Possibly you have, as well.  But the truth is:

Christ walks with us through the whole of life—every conversation, every emotion, every responsibility, every ordinary moment. The apostle Paul writes: 

“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus…” –(Colossians 3:17, ESV)

“Whatever you do” includes all of life—not just “burning bush” or “spiritual retreat” experiences.

The Incarnation = God in the Everyday

The mystery of the incarnation speaks powerfully to our ordinary lives. By “incarnation,” Christians mean that God entered our world in the person of Jesus—fully God and fully human—bringing His presence into the ordinary rhythms of human life.

Jesus does not come as a distant teacher or a mystical figure floating above human experience. He comes as a child, grows as a boy, works with His hands, attends weddings, eats meals, weeps, walks dusty roads, and shares real life with real people.

Jesus enters the ordinary to make it holy.

Henri Nouwen, reflecting on the incarnational way of Jesus, writes: “The spiritual life does not remove us from the world but leads us deeper into it.” ¹

Growing with Christ means seeing Him in the everyday places where we often assume He is absent. The ordinary moments of our lives are not obstacles to meeting Jesus—they are where He delights to meet us. 

Ordinary Moments Become Sacred When Offered in Love

One of our greatest challenges is learning to recognize Christ’s companionship in places we consider mundane. But every space becomes holy when Christ is welcomed into it.

• Folding laundry becomes an act of quiet worship.
• Sitting in a meeting becomes an opportunity for grace.
• Driving becomes a sanctuary of prayer (not only for protection but because of His presence).
• A difficult conversation becomes a moment to embody Christ’s gentleness.
• Cooking dinner becomes a place to practice gratitude.

The question is not, “Is Christ here?” 

The question is, “Am I aware of His presence?”

Jesus isn’t just waiting for us in the extraordinary. He walks with us in the ordinary.

Learning to See Christ with Us

Growing in Christ forms us in truth. Growing with Christ forms us in companionship.

When these movements work together, faith becomes integrated rather than compartmentalized.

Nouwen says it well:

“The real work of prayer is to become silent and listen to the voice that says good things about me.” ²

As we learn to cultivate an inner silence—not the absence of sound, but an openness of heart—we start to notice Christ’s presence in moments we once rushed past. This quiet attentiveness helps us realize that He is with us: 

• When we feel tired, Christ offers rest.
• When a task feels tedious, His presence brings purpose.
• When we’re anxious, He speaks peace.
• When we’re celebrating, He shares our joy.
• When we grieve, He carries our sorrow.
• When we’re simply going about our day, He is with us.

Inner silence opens our eyes to the continual nearness of Jesus. We discover that Christ transforms ordinary life into spiritual encounters.  

Every Moment an Invitation

Abiding in Christ is not meant to be “solely” limited to quiet time with a Bible. Nor is intimacy with Christ just confined to moments of worship, prayer, or retreat.

Abiding expands into the whole of life.

Intimacy integrates into every space.

Presence becomes the posture of the soul.

Jesus shows us this in Philippians 2: He humbles Himself, steps into ordinary human life, and teaches us that nothing is too small, too mundane, or too unimportant to become a place of encounter.

When all of life becomes a place for Christ’s presence, all of life becomes holy.

An Invitation to Go Deeper

1. Where do I most easily overlook Christ’s companionship during my day?

2. Which ordinary routines could become places of prayer, gratitude, or awareness?

3. When have I recently sensed Christ’s presence in an unexpected moment?

4. What might it look like to whisper, “Lord, walk with me here,” throughout this week?

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References

1. Henri J. M. Nouwen, Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular World (New York: Crossroad, 1992), 44–46.

2. Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Way of the Heart: Connecting With God Through Prayer, Wisdom, and Silence (New York: Ballantine, 1981), 1.