A God who is close and discreet
When we think of God, we often imagine a powerful, majestic, dazzling presence. Yet the Bible reveals to us a God who likes to hide in the simplest, most mundane, quietest things. He does not impose himself. He slips in. He sneaks into our days, between ordinary gestures, in the silence of a moment, in the smile of a stranger, in the warmth of a ray of sunshine. The God of Jesus Christ is a God who is close to us. And it is precisely in this closeness that he makes himself present to those with an open heart.
Recognising God in the little things means learning to live differently. To be attentive. To slow down. To let go of the idea that the sacred is only to be found in great churches or great experiences. God is everywhere. You just have to know how to look.
What the Bible teaches us about God's discreet presence
The Bible is full of passages where God acts in the ordinary. Moses sees the burning bush while tending a flock. Ruth finds blessing in a field while gleaning ears of corn. Elijah hears God not in fire or an earthquake, but in a gentle breath. Mary receives the angel's announcement in the privacy of a house in Nazareth. Jesus was born in a stable, walked through the villages, ate with the poor, healed in the streets. His whole life is made up of simple gestures: speaking, touching, blessing, listening, walking.
The kingdom of God, Jesus says, is like a tiny seed, like a little leaven in the dough, like a treasure hidden in a field. In other words: it's already there, close at hand, but often invisible to over-hasty eyes. Christ himself invites us to a faith that knows how to recognise the greatness in the small, the infinite in the instant, the mystery in the everyday.
God is hidden in the details
In an ordinary day, God can show himself in a thousand ways. A comforting word. A shared cup of coffee. A song heard at just the right moment. A soothing silence. An unexpected gesture. These are not coincidences. These are discreet meetings. God speaks through reality. He speaks to us where we are. And sometimes, a single second of full attention is enough to perceive that something greater is taking place.
The presence of God cannot be imposed. It requires a gaze formed by faith. A gaze that knows how to marvel. One that accepts that it cannot control everything. Who knows that God can pass by where we don't expect him. You don't need a spectacular miracle to believe. All it often takes is a heartbeat, a loving glance, a sunset, a shared meal.
Developing spiritual attentiveness
To recognise God in the little things, we need to cultivate a form of inner presence. This involves prayer, but also very simple habits: taking time, breathing, giving thanks. Thanksgiving opens our eyes. When we start to say thank you for what we experience, however small, we discover that God is already there, that he has preceded each of our steps.
Keeping a gratitude notebook, being silent for a few minutes each day, asking ourselves "Where did I sense God today?", rereading our day... These little exercises help to sharpen our outlook. They teach us to see beyond appearances. To perceive a coherence, a common thread, an invisible hand that supports.
Christian tradition speaks of "real presence": not just in the Eucharist, but in life. In the child we console, in the elderly person we listen to, in the discreet effort of a day given out of love. Everything can become a sacrament if we live with faith.
When we feel nothing: believing despite the ordinary
There are days when nothing seems meaningful. When everything seems banal, grey, repetitive. And that's precisely when faith becomes precious. It's not based on emotion, but on faithfulness. Believing that God is there, even when we don't feel him. Believing that he dwells in our simplest gestures, that he sanctifies our dullest days.
Even when he doesn't stand out, God acts. He shapes, he builds, he transforms. Like the rain that penetrates the earth slowly, quietly. Like the sap that rises in the tree unseen. The Christian faith is not a firework display; it is a quiet, persistent light that gently illuminates the interior.
Conclusion
To recognise God's presence in the little things of everyday life is to enter into a new life. It's not living elsewhere or dreaming of an elsewhere. It means living here, but differently. It's walking down the same street, but with different eyes. It means doing the same things, but with a more attentive heart. It means discovering, every day, that heaven is never far away. That God is there, discreet, faithful, loving. And that sometimes you just have to open your eyes to see him.
