FAITH: Finding God in unexpected places

There’s an old saying that “some folks are so heavenly minded they’re no earthly good.” I don’t believe that’s entirely fair—after all, heaven should shape how we live on earth—but there’s a truth hidden in the phrase that’s hard to ignore. Many people who profess deep faith, who never miss a Sunday and can quote Scripture by heart, sometimes struggle to show even the simplest kindness to a neighbor. And that raises a question worth wrestling with: if our faith doesn’t make us more compassionate, are we really experiencing God? 

The truth is, God is not confined to the four walls of a church. We can encounter God in a thousand different ways, through the simple acts of everyday life. The psalmist declares, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1). God’s fingerprints are everywhere, not just in hymns and sermons, but in music, art, work, laughter, and the small moments of beauty that stitch our lives together. 

Think about it—someone can feel the presence of God while standing beneath a vast sky at dusk, or while losing themselves in a song that lifts their soul. Another might find God in the rhythm of fixing a broken engine, seeing order come from chaos. A mechanic may never stand behind a pulpit, but with each repaired car, they bring peace to a worried driver, safety to a family on the road, and dignity to their craft. That, too, is holy work. 

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossians, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord”(Colossians 3:23). Notice, he didn’t say “whatever you preach” or “whatever hymn you sing.” He said whatever you do.Faith is not meant to be contained—it’s meant to be lived. The carpenter sanding wood, the nurse changing a bandage, the teacher explaining long division, the musician composing a melody—all are sacred acts when done with love and gratitude. 

Theologian Frederick Buechner once wrote, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Experiencing God doesn’t always happen through religious ritual—it often happens through vocation, through the things that bring us to life and help others to live more fully. 

But let’s be honest: sometimes, the people who claim to know God best can be the hardest to get along with. Maybe it’s pride, maybe it’s fear, or maybe it’s that we’ve confused knowing about God with knowing God. The Pharisees in Jesus’ time were experts in religion, but Jesus said their hearts were far from Him. He reminded His

followers that the greatest commandment is to love God—and the second, equally important, is to love your neighbor (Matthew 22:37–39). 

When faith becomes a performance instead of a relationship, it loses its power. But when we begin to see God in the ordinary, in the quiet corners of our days, our hearts soften. We become more patient, more generous, more attuned to the sacred in others. 

Maybe the best question isn’t “How often do you go to church?” but rather “Where have you seen God lately?” Was it in a child’s laughter? A sunset after a hard day? A stranger’s kindness at the grocery store? God shows up in all of it—if only we have eyes to see. 

Church is important. It’s where we gather, grow, and are reminded of who we are. But God cannot be boxed in by pews and stained glass. The Spirit moves in garages, gardens, hospital rooms, and backyards. 

So this week, take time to look for God beyond the sanctuary. You might just discover that He’s been walking beside you all along—through music, through work, through the small, sacred rhythm of an ordinary day. 

After all, faith isn’t about where you sit on Sunday. It’s about how you live on Monday.

Rev. Adam Johnson is a strategy consultant and ordained minister with two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership nationwide, currently the CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Jackson TN. He holds advanced degrees in nonprofit organization from the University of Memphis. Adam lives in Jackson with his wife, Kayla, and their daughter Josephine.