Recently, I asked someone how they were doing, and they said, “I feel like I am invisible.” I acknowledge that the response was unexpected; typically, I meet individuals who simply state that they are “fine. Or certain individuals may say, “I am blessed and highly favored.” But to have someone say that they feel invisible. I felt so much sadness and compassion at the same time. It saddened me that someone so wonderful could feel invisible and unheard. I felt so concerned for them because I, too, had found myself feeling the same way even while being emotionally healthy.
For more than 40 years my family and I have traveled the world without living in one place for more than 4 years at a time. We had chosen this path, so we needed to adjust to a way of living unlike what most families typically experience. Each time we moved we had to leave friends behind that had become like family and upon arriving at the new destination, we had to try and fit in, making new friends and sometimes getting used to a culture of people that we knew nothing about except what we read in books. And with each move there was a small slice of time where I knew that I felt invisible.
All experiences are worth a whole lot, especially when we learn from them. Because I have a relationship with the Lord, I have learned that He orchestrates seasons in my life. There are times when I may feel invisible too. But it is because He is deliberately keeping me out of sight. He has me hidden or concealed for a reason. It is tough when what’s familiar changes and you can end up feeling left out. It is not due to any mistake you have made. It is just a part of the journey and there is so much more to be learned.
