Have you ever felt invisible, even in a sea of people? You know, you’re at a gathering, and you look around to see everyone engaged in conversation—except you?
Or maybe you’re even with your family and still feel unseen. You sit on the outside looking in, and no one notices. These are your people, your family, and yet you’re lonely in their midst.
In Genesis, Hagar felt the same way. Her mistress, Sarah (Sarai) handed her over to Abraham (Abram) for the sole purpose of procreation. It wasn’t Hagar’s choice—as a servant she had no choice. When she became pregnant, she was none too happy about it. Therefore, she became bitter toward Sarah, which caused friction between Sarah and Abraham. The tension got thick, and Sarah treated Hagar harshly until Hagar ran away from her. She went into the wilderness, unseen, uncared-for—alone.
Except she was seen. God saw her there by a spring and asked her what she was doing. He called her by name! She told Him she had fled, and He told her to go back and submit to Sarah. One minute she felt alone and unworthy, the next she was talking with God. She was loved and looked after. She was seen, so she called him, El Roi the God who sees.
So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” – Genesis 16:13
He sees you too. He knows you by name. You don’t have to have a million “followers” or be the life of the party. God uniquely created you to be who you are—just like you are. In a world so focused on social media and “likes” it can be so easy to fall into the trap of “less than.” But how can you be, when He created you?
Sister, when you feel alone or left out, look up. It all comes back to that.
Have you ever felt left out or unseen? What can you share that might help others?
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