The Quiet Life

 Steve Porter

“Your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”

— Matthew 6:4

Good morning, friends. I’m writing this with a Bible beside me and a few thoughts that have been sitting in my heart for days. Nothing dramatic happened. It was just one of those slow, steady impressions the Lord drops into your spirit when you’re quiet long enough to hear Him.

I started noticing how the smallest acts of love seem to stay with people more than we realize. Not the big, impressive gestures—just the ordinary things. A kind word. A little patience. A moment of listening. Things like that.

Maybe it stood out to me because life feels loud right now. The world rewards whatever gets attention, and people get caught up in being seen. But when I look at Jesus, He didn’t operate that way. Most of His ministry took place in quiet moments. One person at a time. One conversation. One touch. Nothing rushed. Nothing forced.

And honestly, that speaks to me. Because some of you have been worn down by the sharpness of this world. Maybe you’ve been criticized more than encouraged. Maybe you’re tired from holding everything together. Maybe you’ve been through a season where the smallest things felt heavy. You’re not alone in that.

The Lord reminded me that gentle people often carry the most healing. They aren’t loud. They don’t draw attention to themselves. They show up in ways that seem small but end up meaning a lot.

They’re the ones who:

• notice when someone is struggling

• take time they don’t really have

• offer help without making it a big deal

• speak softly when everyone else is tense

Most of their kindness happens when nobody is watching. And that’s probably why it feels so genuine.

I’ll admit, I’ve missed chances years ago to do the same. I can look back and see moments where I could’ve chosen calm over irritation or encouragement over silence. But the Lord doesn’t hold that over us. He gives us another chance today.

You’d be surprised how much one simple sentence can help somebody.

And we honestly can’t tell what people are hiding behind that polite smile.

Some people are holding on by a single trembling thread…

and the smallest act of love, almost nothing to us, becomes the one thing that steadies their whole world.

The older I get, the more I believe the quiet things matter most. The hidden sacrifices. The prayers nobody hears. The little choices that reveal who we’re becoming. Heaven sees all of it.

Some of you feel like your life isn’t making much of a difference, but maybe God is using the things you think are “small” to do work you can’t see yet. Sitting with someone during a hard time. Forgiving someone who hurt you. Being patient. Showing understanding. These things look ordinary, but the Lord treasures them.

So today, don’t feel pressure to be anything loud or impressive. Just be willing. Be available. Be kind. Let Jesus work through the calmer, gentler parts of your heart.

Those are the things that leave marks. Real ones. Eternal ones.

“If you pour yourself out for the hungry… your light will rise in the darkness.”

— Isaiah 58:10

With Love,

Steve Porter

www.bio.site/findrefuge