The Desire to Be Seen

Years ago, I attended a national mothering conference. A lot of women had gathered together to have fun, bond with friends, and learn how to be better mothers. Unfortunately, I didn’t attend with other women.

The truth was I’ve never felt so alone in my life.

I had a hotel room to myself. I sat alone during the speakers’ presentations among 5,000 other women. I remember looking around and thinking, “Nobody knows me. Nobody understands.” They didn’t know who I was. They didn’t know about my life or about my children or my ministry.

It made me think about our desire to be known. We want to feel appreciated. If we’re attending a Bible Study or we’re taking our child to a new school, we don’t want to be the one that nobody knows.

It made me think of a woman in the Bible who thought she was alone. Abraham’s concubine, Hagar, had a son named Ismael; when she was sent into the desert with her son, she had no one who cared for her–at least that’s what she thought. She carried a heavy burden when she left Abraham’s tent. She carried the harsh words of her mistress, weighing deep in her heart. She also was weighed down with worries about her son. How would she find food and water? How would they survive?

Yet God saw her.

He reached out to Hagar and showed her His love. She cried to Him with thanksgiving.

“You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me” (Genesis 16:13).

I don’t know about your life today. I don’t know if you are alone, or if you feel alone even as you’re surrounded by people. Maybe you woke up today without having anyone you looked forward to seeing. But God sees you, even though you may feel like you’re alone, like I did in that crowd of women. God is there. God cares, and He sees you.

Prayer Request…

Please join me in praying for the children around the world, especially in Africa. Please pray for the provision of the children affiliated with Awana Clubs International. Pray that their needs (emotional, physical, financial, and spiritual) be met, and especially pray their desire to be seen will be satisfied by knowing that God is there.

If you feel led to donate to Awana efforts in Kenya, please visit www.awana.org/donate

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