Cultivating Wonder

We were made for an enchanted existence.

Most of us don’t feel that way.

Our days often feel flat and gray—commutes, deadlines, screens, repeat. Even if we believe in God, we can live as though the only things that are “real” are what we can touch, measure, or buy. The Bible calls this kind of life a suppression of the truth (Romans 1:18–25): God’s beauty and power are clearly seen in what He has made, but we train ourselves not to notice.

Imagine waking up every morning to find a new, breathtaking painting on your wall. At first, you’d be stunned. Eventually, if it showed up every day, you’d stop asking, “Who painted this?” and just walk past it. That’s what we’ve done with creation—and often with our own lives. We’ve learned to explain *how* things work and stopped asking *why* they exist.

But Scripture insists reality is richly enchanted. We don’t just inhabit a material universe; we live in a world charged with God’s presence, meaning, and activity. There is visible and invisible (Colossians 1:16), flesh and spirit, ordinary moments and eternal weight.

So how do we recover wonder?

1. **Ask God for new eyes.** Pray, “Open my eyes to Your beauty today.” Then deliberately look for it: in a sunrise, a child’s laugh, a friend's personality, a simple meal.

2. **Practice gratitude in the small things.** Gratitude turns routine into worship. “I have to go to work” becomes “I get to go to work.” List five things you’re thankful for each day, especially the ordinary ones.

3. **Expect God to be present.** Don’t limit Him to Sunday or crises. Ask Him to speak, to guide, to heal, to surprise you—even in the mundane.

You were not made for a thin, hollow version of life. You were made to live awake—to the beauty of God, the depth of His world, and the wonder of walking with Him.

This article used generative AI via Pulpit AI to transform one of Chris' sermons into this article. The content is original to CDM, with some help from Pulpit AI adapting it into article form.