The Toilet Paper Roll Theology

I was staring at an empty toilet paper roll the other day (again), and I had a moment. Not a dramatic, life-changing, clouds-parting moment. Just… one of those small nudges from God. The kind that’s quiet enough to ignore, but persistent enough that you can’t.

You know the moment.
You reach for the roll, and it’s empty. Just the sad, cardboard tube hanging there like a silent challenge. And you think:

“Why am I always the one who changes this thing?”

Then, just as I was internally judging my children, I heard it—God’s still, sarcastic voice:

“Hey Deb… maybe you’ve got some toilet paper rolls to change, too.”

Oof. Conviction in the bathroom. Love that for me! It reminded me of a meme I once saw that said:

“Everyone wants to change the world… but nobody wants to change the toilet paper roll.”

That hit hard. Because let’s be honest, we’re all drawn to the big stuff. The visible stuff. We say we want to live with purpose. Change lives. Make an impact. But most of the time? Purpose doesn’t look like a microphone or a mission trip.
It looks like quiet faithfulness.
Like kindness when you’d rather be clever.
Like showing up on time when no one else does.
Like serving when it’s not your job
Like praying when you don’t feel anything.
Like forgiving someone who still hasn’t apologized.
Like changing the toilet paper roll… again.

Because purpose isn’t just found in the big, bold moments.
It’s formed in the small, hidden ones.

The truth…
Purpose is usually built in quiet habits.
In small, unglamorous acts of obedience.
In the things no one sees and no one celebrates.

Ephesians 2:10 says:

“We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

That means He’s already gone ahead of you.
The good stuff? It’s preloaded.
Your life is not random. It’s crafted. That includes the great works and the small ones.
You were created on purpose, for a purpose, and yes, sometimes that purpose looks like picking up someone else’s mess… again.

In "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren, he shows us there are 5 purposes (worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and mission) these are God's intended design for every human life. 

So friend, if today feels ordinary, unnoticed, or like a repeat of yesterday…

You just might be on burning bush, holy ground, territory. And the next time you see a literal or metaphorical toilet paper roll hanging empty, don’t walk away from it.

Pick it up. Replace it.
And remember—you are walking in God’s holy purpose right there.

Because real change usually starts in places no one claps for.

like the bathroom.