How do you deal with feeling unseen?
There are many moments in our lives when we may feel unseen, especially when we’re involved in ministry. We may feel unseen by the church we’re serving, leadership, our colleagues or even our family.
How do we deal with this feeling?
Feeling unseen could mean that you’re under resourced, overworked, understaffed, under appreciated and underemployed. You could feel like you weren’t chosen, you aren’t loved, you aren’t enough or you don’t matter.
The most important question to ask yourself is “Does God see me in this moment?”
Whenever I feel this way, I remember one of my favorite names for God in the Bible, which is the-God-who-sees. And this name comes from the most unexpected person.
If you’re familiar with the story, you’ll remember Hagar, who was the other woman in Abraham and Sarah’s story. If you have time, go back and read Genesis 16. Hagar is the other woman, who has been inserted into the story, but she’s so seen and so loved by God.
God doesn’t alter His plan for Isaac to be the son of promise, but he still sees Hagar and tells her she will be the mother of a great nation.
Where in your life do you need to know that God sees you? Where do you need God’s reassurance of what you were created for? Where do you need to know that God is behind the scenes acting on your behalf?
Bring all your hopes, dreams, disappointments and sorrows before God and remember that He is El Roi, The-God-Who-Sees.
“She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” Genesis 16:13