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Have you ever felt as though you were invisible?

Are there moments when it seems like nobody cares, even though deep down, you know that’s a lie from the enemy? Times when you struggle just to make it through the day, when it feels like nobody truly sees you or that they have forgotten about you. Perhaps getting out of bed in the morning is difficult, and the silence of being alone with no one to talk to becomes deafening.

I recently confided in a friend about the trials I was facing: the challenges of raising teenagers as a solo parent, dealing with home repairs, and navigating workplace difficulties. My friend, also a widow, said, “I can see how heavy all of that is on your shoulders. It’s a lot to do alone. Adriane, but I see you. I see you doing all the things, I see you trusting God through it….I see you.”

I immediately burst into tears, I knew she understood the weight of my journey, having walked a similar path herself. But hearing her say, “I see you,” felt like a healing balm to my battered and wounded heart. I hadn’t realized how much I missed simply being “seen.”

Do you miss being seen?

I missed being seen by the one who loved me:

• The one who chose me,
• The one who stood by my side through life’s trials,
• The one who faced life’s challenges with me.
• I miss being seen and loved in spite of my flaws and imperfections.

There is a comfort, strength, and confidence that comes from being seen and known by the one who chose you and loves you unconditionally.

In Genesis chapter 16, we encounter an example, the first and only time a person gave God a name, of how our Heavenly Father sees us. Hagar, abused and with a wounded heart, found herself alone and pregnant in the harsh desert.

Have you ever reached a point where desperation leaves you on the brink of giving up? A moment when it feels like you can’t bear the weight any longer, when exhaustion and despair engulf you, and it seems like nobody cares?

That’s where Hagar found herself. And then, in that dark moment, God showed up. He saw her. And He didn’t just see her, but He gave her a promise and a direction. And Hagar saw Him to be the “God who sees me”. Wow, how incredible is that?! The fact that she saw the God, El Roi, that saw her!!

“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 (ESV)

What a beautiful reminder and example of how God sees you:

• God sees you in your hurt and pain.
• He sees you in your desperation.
• He sees you in your grief and sorrow.

He sees you, knows you, understands you, and He loves you.

In your journey through widowhood, remember that you are not invisible to God. Hagar found comfort and hope in being seen by El Roi, the God who sees. You too can take comfort in the fact that you are seen. You are known and loved by your Heavenly Father. Your struggles, your pain, your joys – they are all seen by Him. You are not alone on this path; you are seen and cared for by the One who truly sees you. And He doesn’t just see you but He also loves you unconditionally.

Heavenly Father, we come before You with humble hearts. We are so grateful that You see us. You see all of us, there is not one aspect of our lives that escapes Your eyes or knowledge. And because You see us and know us, and because we know You love us, we know that we can trust You to provide for us and protect us. Help us to also see You, to see You at work in our lives, and to recognize Your fingerprints all around us. Thank You, Father, for seeing us, even when it seems like no one else does. And thank You for carrying us through. In Jesus Name, Amen