Finding God Suddenly in the Unexpected

“It’s a weird kind of feeling to try to find God when you’re surrounded by Him.” – William Hastings

After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
– 1 Kings 19:12 NIV

Have you ever felt distant from God, even while doing all the “right” things? You show up at church, pray the prayers, and sing the songs—but your heart feels dry, and you wonder if God is even listening.

William Hastings knows that feeling well. As a Bible college student, he went seeking more of God but found himself facing a deep crisis of faith. Surrounded by worship and teaching, he questioned everything—even whether God was real.

Doubt can be unsettling, especially when it shows up in places where faith is supposed to flourish. It can leave you feeling like you don’t belong, like you’re the only one struggling.

Your questions don’t disqualify you. They might just be the doorway to your next step with God.

But sometimes, doubt is where God meets us most powerfully. For Hastings, it happened in an ordinary moment—holding an umbrella for a stranger in the rain. In that brief encounter, God broke through the fog of doubt. His questions didn’t vanish overnight, but his faith was reawakened. Purpose stirred in his heart again.

God often speaks this way—in the quiet, the ordinary, the unexpected. Scripture reminds us that He is not always in the earthquake or fire, but in the gentle whisper (1 Kings 19:11-12).

If you’re struggling to feel God’s presence today, don’t lose heart. Stay open. Sometimes the breakthrough you need will come when you least expect it—in a conversation, a song, or a simple act of kindness.

Today’s One Thing
Pray: “Lord, meet me in my questions. Help me see You in the ordinary and hear Your voice in the quiet. Amen.”

Go Deeper

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