Restoring Wonder in the Middle of Responsibility | Your Nightly Prayer
Somewhere along the way, adulthood teaches us to stop being impressed by ordinary things.
We stop noticing the way sunlight moves across a room.
We walk past flowers without looking at them.
We stop asking questions.
We become so accustomed to creation that beauty begins to feel ordinary.
Responsibilities have a way of accelerating that process.
There are emails to answer.
Children to care for.
Meals to prepare.
Bills to pay.
Appointments to keep.
People who need us.
By the end of the day, we may be more interested in getting through the evening than noticing God within it.
Peyton Garland reminds us that children often see what hurried adults overlook.
A dandelion becomes fascinating.
Bubbles are worth chasing.
A butterfly deserves our full attention.
A heart-shaped leaf becomes treasure.
Jesus’ words in Matthew 18 invite us toward that kind of posture—not immaturity, but humility, dependence, receptivity, and wonder.
Perhaps our responsibilities do not need to disappear before wonder can return.
Perhaps wonder is waiting right in the middle of them.
Originally published August 16, 2026.
