Finding God in Unusual Places: How God Shows Up Where We Least Expect Him

A beautiful scenery

We often look for God in the places we’ve been taught to expect Him—inside a church building, during dedicated prayer time, or in moments of worship when our hearts are intentionally focused. But the truth is that God is not confined to the predictable or the familiar. He is a God who reveals Himself in the unexpected, the ordinary, and the downright unusual.

If we slow down long enough, we’ll discover that God is far more present than we realise.

1. God in the Wilderness Moments

The Bible is full of stories where God met people in unlikely settings, burning bushes, caves, deserts, prisons, storms, and even the belly of a fish. These accounts remind us that God does some of His most transformative work in the wilderness moments of our lives.

When life feels chaotic or confusing, God is often closer than ever.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” – Psalm 34:18

Your unusual place may be a season of heartbreak, transition, uncertainty, or waiting. Yet even here, God is whispering direction, comfort, and hope.

2. God in Ordinary, Everyday Life

Sometimes we are so focused on the dramatic that we miss the divine in the daily. God often reveals Himself in:

• A conversation with a stranger that softens your heart

• A child’s laughter when your spirit feels heavy

• A sunrise that reminds you God renews all things

• Unexpected provision that arrives right when you need it

God’s fingerprints are all over the small moments we overlook.

“Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” – Genesis 28:16

Like Jacob, many of us don’t realise God is with us until we look back and see His hand in every detail.

3. God in the People We Least Expect

God can use anyone, absolutely anyone, to speak into your life.

A co-worker who's not a believer may offer words that echo God's truth. A difficult person may reveal the areas where God is refining your character. A passing encounter may confirm a prayer you’ve been waiting on.

God often uses the unexpected to get our attention.

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” – Hebrews 13:2

You never know who God is working through.

4. God in the Storms and Struggles

We rarely consider trials as places where God can be found, yet they are often the places where we encounter Him the most deeply.

Think of the disciples on the stormy Sea of Galilee. They discovered Jesus’ authority not on calm waters, but in the very storm they feared would destroy them.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.” – Isaiah 43:2

Sometimes it takes a storm to see God clearly.

5. God in the Unexpected Answers to Prayer

Sometimes God answers prayers in ways we didn’t ask for or envision.

We pray for strength, and God gives us situations that build it. We pray for patience, and God allows delays that grow it. We pray for clarity, and God removes options we were clinging to.

The unusual becomes the pathway to the miraculous.

6. Cultivating Eyes That See God Everywhere

Finding God in unusual places often requires us to slow down and look deeper. You can cultivate this awareness by:

• Asking daily: “Lord, where are You at work today?”

• Practising gratitude: noticing small blessings and moments.

• Reflecting regularly: journaling how God revealed Himself.

• Listening intentionally: paying attention to your spirit, people, and surroundings

God is not hiding. He is inviting you to notice Him.

Conclusion: God Is Closer Than You Think

Whether you are in a familiar place or an unfamiliar season, one thing remains constant: God is with you. He is weaving Himself into your story in ways you may not recognise yet. But when you look back, you’ll see that He was present in the places you least expected, guiding, protecting, teaching, and loving you through it all.

Open your eyes. Open your heart. God is there, right where you are.