The Humility of Wonder: A Path to Restoration

As a first grade teacher, working with young children taught me to embrace the joys of wonder. Their eyes widen at the sight of a butterfly, their laughter rings out at the simplest surprises, and their hearts brim with awe at the world around them. Children tend to trust those who are bigger, older, and know more than they do. Childlike trust, humility, and awe of God’s creation: It’s no wonder that Scripture encourages us to transform and be like children. 

Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me” (Matthew 18:3-5).

Wonder and trust come naturally to children, but as we grow older, suffering, grief, and hardship can erode our sense of amazement. Even seasons of sameness can make us lose our sense of wonder and trust, leaving us numb and weary. 

When healing is delayed—or doesn’t come at all—the waiting can drain not only our bodies but also our souls. If we’re not careful, a spiritual numbness sets in, anesthetizing our pain but also dulling our hearts to everything else. Disappointment can shrink our world, making us blind to the beauty still around us. But what if rekindling a sense of wonder is one way we endure the wait?

Embracing Wonder

"Our perpetual trouble is that we lack the faculty of awe… We should be filled with awe every day as we behold God’s works." — A.W. Tozer

Job: The Path to Restoration Begins with Wonder

Few people in Scripture suffered as Job did. He lost everything—his health, his family, his wealth—yet throughout his pain, he pleaded his case before God. Job demanded answers, but God did not respond with explanations. Instead, He answered Job with a whirlwind and a series of breathtaking questions:

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand… Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place?” (Job 38:4,12)

Before restoring Job’s health, family, and fortune, God first restored something deeper—his humility and awe. Job’s perspective shifted from suffering to sovereignty, from loss to the sheer magnificence of God’s works in creation.

When Job recognized God’s power and wisdom in the grand design of the universe, his heart found healing beyond physical restoration. When the beauty of God’s majesty is buried by the weight of weariness, restoration can begin with contemplating our Creator and His powerful works.

Author G.K. Chesterton reflects, “At the back of our brains, so to speak, there was a forgotten blaze or burst of astonishment at our own existence. The object of the artistic and spiritual life is to dig for this submerged sunrise of wonder.”

Job’s story takes Chesterton’s reflection even farther: We lose perspective when we lose our astonishment at God’s existence and power. In recovering our wonder at God’s sovereignty, power, and love, we find rest for our weary souls. 

Humility Leads to Rest

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Rekindling Your Amazement

How can we reignite wonder in our daily lives? Here are three simple ways to open our eyes again:

1. Inside: Seek Wonder Through Prayer and Scripture

Begin by asking God to restore your sense of awe. Read the final chapters of Job and Psalms that proclaim God’s majesty—Psalm 8, 19, or 104. Let poetry and music that exalt the beauty of creation stir your heart again. Wonder often begins in worship.

2. Outside: Let Nature Restore You

Go outside. Feel the sun on your face, listen to the wind in the trees, and let creation remind you of its Creator. As John Piper wrote, "To wonder at the works of God is to grow in love for the God of those works.”

Even in suffering, the world is brimming with signs of God’s presence.

3. Side by Side: Experience Wonder Through Others

Read to a child and watch their eyes light up. Listen to someone share their miracle story. Surround yourself with testimonies of God’s goodness. Wonder is contagious when we share it with others.

Restored by Truth

Pain and suffering may be part of our story, but they don’t have to define our story. When we cultivate wonder, we shift our focus from what we have lost to the infinite greatness of our loving God. And in that shift, we embrace the humility and awe that helps us to endure. Like Job before us, we are restored by the truth that the One who laid the earth’s foundation is still holding us in His hands. After years of suffering and loss, concentration camp survivor Corrie ten Boom powerfully reflected, “Perhaps the greatest wonder is that, in our darkest seasons, God is never absent.”  May you never lose your sense of wonder at this awe-inducing truth. 💗 Written for you with love, Andrea