I will be the first to admit that I look for the big moments in my life. You know the ones I’m referring to, right? Those moments when God moved in a big way that just leave me in awe. But lately I realized I’ve overlooked a lot of the things He does for me on a daily basis simply because they’re not as big as I anticipated. I overlook them because I consider them small.
It’s not unusual for me to realize that I’ve taken God for granted. I take Him for granted a lot, something I’m not proud to admit. But whenever it hits me, I always aim to do better. Then…I fall into old habits.
Because of this, retrospect has taught me a lot. More specifically, it’s helping me to open my eyes to those small moments when God appeared and if I hadn’t been looking, I may not have even noticed.
For example, one day I had a meeting and my car battery died about thirty minutes before I was supposed to leave. My parents kindly loaned me their minivan so I could still make my meeting. All was going well until my drive home. It was dark, and I kept thinking that the headlights weren’t as bright as I expected. I pulled onto 985, a very busy highway, and kept my eyes pealed. It wasn’t until about 10 minutes into my drive that I realized my headlights weren’t on. I was driving by my parking lights.
I quickly turned the headlights on and berated myself for not checking. I had assumed they were set to auto, but they weren’t. After taking a few deep breaths, I thanked God for saving me from my own stupidity.
This was months ago, but it wasn’t until last week that I realized there were many times in my life when God saved me from myself. Times I couldn’t understand why He said no, but now I see it clearly. Times He kept me safe when I didn’t even realize I was in danger.
Times I couldn’t see the big picture, but He could.
Those moments seem small at the time because I can’t fully understand them. Now, I realize they’re huge, and it’s opening my eyes a lot.
The glasses I wear? A small thing, but having glasses helps me see better. They even help me drive.
Shoes to wear? A small thing, but having shoes protects my feet.
The breakfast I had this morning? Well, cereal isn’t exactly fancy, but it kept my hunger at bay.
I’m surrounded by small things God does for me that I barely acknowledge. Will I forget this lesson and go back into old habits? Possibly, but I pray I don’t. I want to stay mindful of all the ways He takes care of me.
