Finding God in Unexpected Places
Where do you feel closest to God?
Is it in a quiet, serene setting like a garden or flowery meadow??
Maybe it is in your living room with a cup of coffee in hand during the early morning hours?
What about in the back corner of a cozy coffee shop or when you are singing hymns in church?
All of these are good answers to the question, and, honestly, there are no wrong answers. Everyone is different and everyone experiences closeness with God in a different way.
I have always felt closest to God during my own intimate, quiet time with Him and during worship services.
Sara Claudia cozy on her laptop with a coffee in hand.
A few weeks ago, however, I had a very different experience.
It was a warm, sunny Sunday afternoon which I was spending at my parents’ pool. One of my favorite ways to exercise is by swimming laps because it is one of the only activities that make me feel completely free and unhindered despite my blindness.
So, there I was, swimming back and forth with dogs barking and some country tunes playing in the background. It is not a situation in which I would think It would be easy to feel particularly close to or focused on God.
However, there in that pool, at that moment, God took hold of me.
As I was swimming, I began reflecting on my day. I had spoken at a church that morning, and I knew that one of the members of the congregation was experiencing a particularly difficult season in her life. I began to pray for her, rather absentmindedly, I’ll admit.
To my surprise, I heard God’s voice so clearly.
He began giving me instructions for my ministry and speaking straight to my heart. As I listened, God gave me so many ideas on how I could help women like the one I had just been talking to Him about in my prayers.
Sara Claudia at the pool swimming.
There in that pool, while I was just trying to get some exercise, I found myself in a moment of completely unplanned intimacy and closeness with our Heavenly Father.
This experience changed my perspective on the question, “Where do you feel closest to God?”
Maybe it isn’t the setting or place that makes us feel close to God.
Maybe it is the state of our heart, mind, and focus on Him.
Maybe it is the willingness we have to call on Him, go to Him in prayer, and just listen.
“The Lord is close to all who call on Him, yes, to all who call on Him in truth.” (Psalms 145: 18 NLT)
God is everywhere.
He is there in the living room with us on quiet mornings.
He is there with us in the corner of that cozy coffee shop.
He is there in worship services, conferences, and Bible studies.
But He is also there while we are exercising in the gym, rushing around the grocery store, or pumping our gas with our kids quarreling in the car.
We can feel close to Him in these unlikely places as well, as long as we stay focused on Him and always keep our ears and heart open.
“Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?” says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 23:24 NLT)
James 4:8 says,
“Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.”. (James 4:8 NLT)
While it is definitely helpful to retreat to a serene, distraction-free place to feel connected with God, we should not only aim to be close to Him in these situations.
We need to draw close to the Lord in all settings and seasons of our lives.
When we focus less on this world, it’s worries, expectations, and temptations and more on our walk with Christ, we will find that, sometimes, we feel closest to Him in the unlikeliest of places.
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Dr. Donna Thomas Moses, who specializes in Periodontics, temporomandibular complex (TMJ), and dental implants. At her practice, she strives to make you feel comfortable and relaxed throughout your evaluation and treatment.
Ashlee Burgess Photography, which has been a photography business in the West Georgia area since 2014. Specializing in weddings, elopements, and couples, Ashlee also loves working with seniors & individuals for portraits! No matter the subject in front of her camera, her goal is to create warm, dreamy images that capture the emotion of your most precious moments.
