Have you ever felt like the life you lead is insignificant? Invisible to the rest of the world? Hidden and behind-the-scenes? Have you ever felt like all your hard work never amounted to much. Others receive praise, yet your effort goes unnoticed?
Have you ever felt used and mistreated? You respected and cared for someone and you received nothing in return? You felt rejected. Ignored. Unloved. Unnoticed. Your feelings and hurt emotions were cast aside and completely disregarded. The very thing you desired and offered from your heart was thrown away like left-over crumbs.
When we're mistreated and feeling invisible it's easy to let it get to our heart. When a fresh rejection occurs it's easy to allow that computer-like memory to pull up all the old "files" of past hurts and pains. The feelings come flooding back in and replays through our mind as if it just happened yesterday.
GOD SEES THE PAIN
To begin healing from past hurts, unfair treatment, rejections and insignificance we can start by recognizing that God sees our pain. He sees. He sees the things that tore our hearts apart. Although they may seem insignificant from an outside perspective, and it feels like nobody truly understands, He knows the deep heartache it caused you. The pain that broke your heart. The pain that runs so deep. The hidden suffering you endured. Only He knows your full story. He formed you and created you exactly as you are before time began. No mistakes. No oversights. No second-guessing what He created was incorrect or flawed. You were created on-purpose. With a purpose. A special purpose only you could fulfill. God sees you. The real you. The inner you. He knows all things and sees all things. Nothing gets past Him. He's aware and He sees.GOD ALLOWED IT
Even though things are hard and sometimes God feels far away, we can rest assured that He knows what's going on. It's nice to take a step back and look over your life and get some perspective. Take a moment and see how God has worked in your life up until this point. It may seem like you've endured a lot of struggles, maybe some regrets, shame and pain, but through it all it was shaping you. God allowed certain circumstances in your life for you to become who you are today. The circumstances that changed you, made you and molded you into the person you are now. Every hurt, insult, rejection, hard day, all had purpose into creating and making you into the beautiful person God created you to be. You may see a person who is undervalued, incapable of being used and feeling like your life is a big mess in comparison to others, but God is using you. He has a purpose for you. And God is working now to continually shape and grow you.It may seem difficult to accept that the things that broke your heart were allowed by a loving God. How could He be okay with tearing me apart? Doesn't He see the pain this causes? Why isn't He stepping in? How could He allow this for good? All questions which I've asked before. When pain arises in our lives it's easy to question and wonder what God is doing. Isn't it interesting that when things go wrong we end up finding ourselves seeking after God. It may be through doubtful questions or it may be through incessant prayers for strength. No matter what the reason, when we experience difficult times God knows that it is an opportunity for us to strengthen our faith. Whether we acknowledge this is up to us. We have a choice. Through hard times it shows how strong our faith in God is. Whether our faith will deepen or dissipate. Thrive or wither. Don't look at your circumstances as God trying to harm or hurt you, but as a time to strengthen and deepen your faith with Him. He is trying to teach you something. He is allowing your breaking heart or hidden struggles to draw you closer to Him, because only on the darkest of nights do we look up to find the Light.
GOD HOLDS THE FUTURE
God just doesn't see you now, He's known you before you were born all the way up to where you'll spend eternity and He knows every detail in between. He knows your life from beginning to end. Every detail. Every thought, action and intention. In fact, He knows us better than we know ourselves. Just as He has directed and led you up until this point, He will continue to lead you. Sometimes it's easy to see how God worked in the past, but looking to the future our trust gets dampened by the great uncertainty. Don't grow weary in looking to your future. Have hope that God has every season of your life perfectly planned out and there is purpose to every small detail. Nothing is overlooked. He sees the purpose of your life. He has not forgotten you. You're on His mind every moment. Nothing is overlooked. He is working! He is using your life for something far better than you could ever imagine, because God doesn't forsake those who place their trust in Him.Psalm 9:10
Those who know your name trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You.
CHARACTER EXAMPLE
When Jesus first met Simon, right off the bat he gave him the new name of Peter. Yeah, kinda weird, I know. It would be odd to receive a new name when you first met someone. Anyways, a little later on, Jesus and Peter were talking and Jesus led him to a place and mentioned that Peter would be the rock of His church. The rock in which they were standing on is where Jesus's temple would one day stand. Isn't it interesting that when Jesus first met Simon he gave him the new name of Peter. The amazing irony here is what Peter's name truly means. Peter's name translates into "rock." Isn't it amazing to take note that God knew way back to when He first met Peter what his purpose would be and the tiny detail of naming him "Peter" to represent his future purpose. He saw the whole picture. It's neat to see that God does see our lives. Not just in the present. Not just the past. Not just the future. But God sees our life from beginning to end. He sees the full picture. He's got a plan. Not just an ordinary plan, but an amazing one. Not just for your pastor. Not just your parents. But YOU. For each of us. We each have a vital role in His master plan. God cares for each of us personally. He has a relationship with you that only you and Him could have. Nobody else's is the same because we all are uniquely created.Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
God sees your significance when others overlook your full potential. God sees your effort when all others see is the end result. God sees your broken heart when others reject and neglect you. God sees your heart when everyone else fails to discover the real you. God sees your inner beauty when others judge you on your flawed appearance. God sees your pure heart and intentions. He sees your amazing purpose. He sees a future for your life. He sees your willing heart and is cheering you on. He sees you as His child and loves you unconditionally. Nothing will ever change that. Nothing.
If only we could grow and desire to know God as much as His understanding and love is for us. If only we could see just a small glimpse of His unfathomable love for us. How often we fail to find love and acceptance in things other than God. I often have a difficult time understanding God's immense love for me. Outside of family, I've honestly never really felt a sincere love that remained steadfast. Most relationships end abruptly, so I'm always expecting a sudden rejection since that's what I'm used to. I have a hard time understanding God's love for me. I know He loves me, and at times I've sensed it, but it's hard to grasp His love for me personally. Ask God to reveal Himself to you. Seek Him and pray that you'd be able to see yourself through His eyes. Ask Him to help show you how He sees you. The real you. No outside perspectives. No faulty assumptions. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you. That you might grow to gain wisdom and knowledge of who He is.
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