How did my car keys get there? I wondered.   The keys, barely visible, were lodged under the bathroom cabinet. I happened to notice them as I was getting ready for the day. What a weird place. They must have fallen out of my purse the night before. And then it dawned on me. Because I had seen the keys, I saved myself the panic of a frantic, last minute lost key search. And since they had fallen in such an odd location, it could have taken days to find them. I don’t have a spare set, so I was especially glad I noticed the keys before I actually needed them.

We’re on Day Six of our 21 Day Watch.  Like you, I’ve been on the lookout for signs of God at work. I’m becoming more mindful of the tiny ways He is involved in my daily life. Perhaps this was the Lord providing assistance and preventing a stressful situation, so I breathed a quick prayer of thanks.

Lost keys. Such an insignificant problem when the weight of the world looms so large. But small things matter to God. And answers to prayer, however tiny, build my trust. Trust strengthens relationship. And God, like any good earthly parent, cares deeply about the relationship with His children.

Daily watchfulness. Attentiveness to prayer. These simple practices can open our eyes to signs of God at work that we could otherwise miss. But the real truth is that we’re probably protected by God every day and spared from problems and dangers in ways we’ll never know…until we get to heaven.

I’d like to become more sensitive to the ways God is helping me now—noticing things I could miss if I’m not watching. Finding my car keys in a crazy spot sounds so ordinary. But this little incident made me more mindful to stay alert. More committed to spending time alone with God each day. More watchful and more thankful for His work in my life.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2)