As someone who has battled low self-esteem throughout my life, the idea that God would spare even a moment for me seems too far-fetched. But God has time and again proved that we matter. Each of us matters.
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” John 10:27-28 NKJV
Hearing God speak may be a tall order for many. But for Christians whose relationship with God runs deep, hearing God speak in one’s heart is as normal as breathing. There is that knowing, in the heart of every true believer, that it’s God who is speaking.
We recognize His voice, which the world is not made privy to— an unspoken truth that our modern society considers folly but serves as a life-sustaining force to the faithful.
As a Christian, you have surely heard Him speak to your heart. We all know that God speaks to us in a myriad of ways. You may have heard Him speak through nature, fellow believers, the Bible, and your current circumstances. Or it could be a mix of everything that’s mentioned above.
God can even give multiple forms of confirmation through signs to ensure you get the message right. There is that intimate conversation, almost like a secret language only you and God can decode.
And God is not only a God of big things—He also cares about the small stuff. He's a God you can count on at any time of the day and in those seemingly ordinary moments.
Encountering God in Your Ordinary Moments
I, for example, love the way the late Pastor Stanley sought God’s help, even in small matters. During one of his sermons, he mentioned that he was caught in a traffic snarl during the holidays. He started to get anxious as he was running late and had to buy a fresh chicken or turkey–I forgot the specific details–but as he was worried about serving the most unsavory piece of meat at the dinner table, he asked God for help.
And before he knew it, he felt led to a grocery store—and right then and there—managed to find what he was looking for. Considering it was late, and most people had grabbed the freshest meat available in the aisle, he was baffled to have found any fresh meat left at the grocery.
Pastor Stanley considered the experience as nothing short of a miracle. It's a testament to how present God is in the lives of every believer. Thus, contrary to what most people think, God is not distant. Not only is He with us, but He also lives in us. It is then no wonder that we can encounter God even in the most ordinary, mundane moments of everyday life.
As it’s written: “That all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in Us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me” (John 17:21 NIV).
My Rhema Experience
A few years back, I set aside one day for prayer and fasting. I was going through an ordeal and wanted an immediate response from God. But on the day of the fast, I opted to do a quick 30-minute house cleaning before starting my supposedly 12-hour fast.
And as you can imagine, that 30-minute house cleaning morphed into several hours of a cleaning spree. Needless to say, my anxiety started to build up. You see—I told God the night before that I would fast early, and here I was, doing household chores non-stop for hours. But what I found peculiar throughout those several hours of cleaning was that the name “Martha” (Yes, Mary and Lazarus’ older sister) suddenly took center stage in my thoughts.
The phrase, “Martha, Martha" literally flooded my mind. Could it be God? Or was it just me? As you can imagine, I found myself in a hurry to finish what I was doing so I could start my fast — all this while feeling anxious about what felt like God’s growing impatience.
To cut the story short, I finally got inside my room, locked the door, and began my fast with a prayer and a reading from the Scripture. And guess what word came into view the moment I opened the Bible? Yes, the name Martha was the first word I read as soon as I flipped the Bible open.
With all the words contained in the Bible, what’s the probability of coming across a word or the same name that’s latched onto my brain for hours prior to starting my fast?
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42 NIV
Still dumbfounded and in a bit of a shock, I hastily sought God’s forgiveness.
Often, we ponder if God would even glance our way or spare a thought for us. I mean, He is God, after all. Who are we that He would even spare time to see our current situation or even care about the smallest details of our lives?
But then we're struck with the realization of how invested God is in us. Did He not give up His only begotten Son to give us eternal life?
Who would do such a thing for us if not someone whose love for us knows no bounds?
As such, we could not help but recall what’s written in the Scripture:
“When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him.” Psalm 8:3-9 NKJV
As someone who has battled low self-esteem throughout my life, the idea that God would spare even a moment for me seems too far-fetched. But God has time and again proved that we matter. Each of us matters.
So expect Him to be by your side at all times, even in your ordinary moments, for He knows you by heart– Isn’t He the One who “created your innermost being, and knit you together in your mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13 NIV
As such, whenever you feel that you’re not worth God’s time, here are verses that will remind you that you are precious in His eyes and that He is more than willing to meet you even in your ordinary moments:
“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.” Psalms 139:1-6 NIV
“But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:7 NKJV
“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 NKJV
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.” Isaiah 49:15-16
“The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying: 'Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness, I have drawn you.'” Jeremiah 31:3 NKJV
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