It’s Not A Coincidence

“You, LORD, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry.” (Psalm 10:17, NIV)

There was a season after spiritual trauma when I would open a Bible app just hoping something—anything—would feel like it was meant for me. I’d tap the verse of the day and think maybe it was from God. Sometimes I’d scroll, looking for something fresh, something that could revive my spirituality with all the certainties I once held. But my soul had grown so cynical, so guarded, that even a devotional in a Bible app felt too neat, too tidy, too far from where I actually was—disoriented, angry, and hopeless.

Maybe that’s where you are right now. Maybe you didn’t plan to open this devotional. Maybe you stumbled in because something in you is still searching—while another part of you has nearly given up on faith, Christians, or anything related to God. Maybe you’ve been hurt by the church, by a leader, by a God you thought you knew, or by a faith community that abandoned you. And maybe you’re not sure you believe any of this anymore. I was there, and I’ve had the privilege, as a therapist, of journeying with so many of my clients who’ve been there.

I want you to know that you are not here by accident. God hears you—even if that feels unbelievable right now (Psalm 10:17). Whether you found this on a quiet morning while drinking coffee or a sleepless night of tossing and turning, I don’t think it’s a coincidence. Maybe it’s a divine moment—a small, quiet invitation to experience something real again. A breadcrumb. A small, digestible piece of God’s presence for a soul in a dry, weary, and confusing land. It was small, seemingly coincidental moments like these that have led me and so many others to reconnecting to faith again.

This devotional won’t ask you to pretend you’re somewhere you’re not, have a mountaintop experience, or resolve all of your doubts. It will simply invite you to notice the small, sacred moments that are already around you—even now, even here, even in this.

Moment to Reflect

• What brought you here today—what do you hope to find in your searching?
• What would it mean to consider that you are not here by accident?

Simple Prayer

God, I’m not sure I believe you hear me. But I’m here. If you can hear the desire of the afflicted, hear mine. Amen.