Opinion
The joy of seeing, and being seen by God
Regular contributor Ruth Lilley rejoices that she is seen by God, and urges us to share that encouragement with others.
Often, I say or hear the phase, ‘every day is a school day’ – and I completely believe that it is! One, because of my passion for learning and two, because I firmly believe, that within us, there is the possibility to always learn something new.
A recent conversation led me to consider how important it is to feel seen. I wonder, as I journey through my days, do I see? Do I feel seen?
So, what am I learning about being seen? That sometimes I will have to see before I can be seen. The first ‘sight’ will need to be me. That might look like a ‘hello, how are you?’ and taking time to see that person as they respond. Maybe, it will be paying a compliment or sharing encouragement even when my natural response might be a bit less gentle.
It might look like putting my phone or Chromebook to one side, so I am seeing the words being spoken to me. It might be getting down to a different level to show the person that they are seen.
Also, I am discovering I can stand strong in the knowledge, that I am seen, regardless of what I am doing or how I am feeling; I am ALWAYS seen by El-Roi, the One who finds me and who sees.
In Genesis, we read that Hagar was found by El-Roi, the God who Sees, when she was in the desert having run away from her mistress, Sarai (Genesis 16:6-14). I wonder if Hagar had felt rejected and then when she was found and seen by God, did her heart feel fuller? She was seen; she was valued.
Therefore, I am seen; I am valued by God. Wow – what a solid ground for me to stand on. A powerful knowledge to take with me and to enable me to see more. For if I know how valuable it is to feel seen then, surely, I would want to share that with others too.
Today, as I journey through the day, I actively choose to see. I know this will take effort as it does not always come easy to put the needs of others first. However, the joy and purpose I receive from being seen by my God will give me the strength to see others. I am seen by El-Roi, my God who finds, sees and loves; so, let me take the next step and find opportunities to show someone that they too are seen.
Image by Alexander Grey from Pixabay
Ruth Lilley teaches at an infant school in Norwich. She also enjoys writing, and writes a regular blog called ‘With Every Sun Comes A New Day.’
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