Unseen…

Have you ever felt forgotten? Looked over? Completely invisible?

You are in good company.

Many times, I have felt this way.

Many times, I have felt this way about my children as well.

When they were overlooked, or not recognized, or rejected. As a mother, that sting is even harder to bear.

When things seem “unfair”, or just plain wrong, it makes me question God’s faithfulness and care over me and my family.

However, I am reminded of Joseph from the Old Testament.

Remember the story?

His brothers hated him, were jealous of him, and threw him in a cistern to die.

On second thought, they decided to sell him to some travelers walking down the road. Why not make a little money off of their hated brother?

Joseph was sent off with strangers for a mere 20 shekels.

Fast forward a few years, and Joseph ends up in prison. His life was certainly not going as planned.

Joseph had a calling on his life, but I am sure he felt overlooked and forgotten by God.

In prison, Joseph interpreted a dream to the king’s cupbearer.

The cupbearer was amazed, and instead of reporting Joseph’s amazing gifts of interpreting dreams to the King, the cupbearer forgot about Joseph.

He never mentioned it to the King, and Joseph sat in prison for two more years.

Two long years.

Finally, Joseph is able to interpret a dream for the King and the King makes Joseph in charge over a lot of people.

But, let’s go back to Joseph being forgotten.

Joseph was rejected. Sold. Forgotten.

Time and time again.

Certainly, the devil was taunting Joseph telling him how worthless he was and how God had deserted him.

We have the advantage of knowing the end of this story.

Joseph is fully restored and God puts him in a place of much favor and honor.

But, Joseph had a lot of maturing to do in his faith.

I wonder how he dealt with those long days in prison, innocent as he was, praying to God to notice him. See him. Help him. Save him.

God had a perfect plan for Joseph.

The end would be better than the beginning.

Joseph had to decide how he would respond to all of this injustice.

He could become bitter, impatient, complaining, and angry…

Or he could choose to praise, worship and rejoice…knowing full well that God saw him and God would answer his prayer one day.

There is a quote I go back to over and over again…

“Accustom yourself to unreasonableness and unfairness and injustice! God sees these things far better than you do and He permits them!” St. Francis de Sales

I mean, wow.

Read that one more time.

God allows these things to happen in our lives. I have to think it is for our good. These things show what is truly in our hearts.

If things were always perfect and good, we would never have to taste the bitter fruit of suffering. That bitter fruit is often for our good.

That bitter fruit reveals the impurities and the hardness of our hearts. It reveals selfishness and pride and all of the things that are not honoring to God.

Are we okay when others are given things and shown favor over us?

Check your feelings when this happens.

Have you been overlooked?

God sees you.

God sees your children.

Stay faithful and hopeful.

The best remedy for this is praise and worship. The enemy cannot taunt us when praise is coming out of our mouths. Heaven opens and the door to hell shuts.

“I will extol the Lord at all times, his praise will always be on my lips.” Psalm 34:1

“I remain confident of this; I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” Psalm 27:13-14

When you are wronged, looked over, or your children are treated unfairly, stay hopeful. Let your children see you worship and trust God’s plan

Pray.

Praise.

Worship.

Repeat.

God delights in a heart of faith and worship.

The end will be better than the beginning.

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior, and my God.” Psalm 43:5

you are seen,

jill