The Power of Being Seen

By Tara Johnson

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is God’s encounter with Hagar. This slave girl was mistreated and unloved, forced to play a role she didn’t ask for. She had no rights and no one to speak on her behalf. She was invisible to those around her…until she met El Roi.

After running away from Sarai, the angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert and said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?”

She answered, “I’m running away from my mistress.”

The angel of the Lord encouraged her to go back and submit, saying God would bless her greatly with a son, because “the Lord has heard your misery”. (Genesis 16)

Hagar rose, astonished that He’d heard her weeping. That He knew her name. That He saw her distress and sought her out.

“You are the God who sees me.”

We all long to be heard. To be valued. To be seen, especially beyond the superficial trappings that mark our physical appearance, to the heart beating inside.

Writers feel a profound discouragement as we wait for our manuscripts to be seen, for our proposals to be accepted, for someone, anyone to see beyond our fumbling, green attempts to the heart of the artist beating inside.

Take courage, writer friend. God sees you. He hears your prayers. He knows the dreams that beat in your chest.

If you’ve struggled for years and have faced rejection after rejection, God sees you. Wait patiently on Him.

If you’ve been published but now cannot find a home for the story begging to be told, God knows your fear. Rest and trust Him.

If the well of creativity has dried up because you’re buried under stress, family obligations, health concerns or exhaustion, remember this is only a season. The Author of Life has not forgotten you.

If you’ve experienced great writing success, but are afraid your best days are behind you, He has a plan. Keep writing. He opens the doors no man can shut.

For the agent with a too-full inbox and bleary eyes, God sees your fatigue. He knows your longing to protect your clients and still juggle all the demands on your plate. Rest and watch Him move. You are loved.

For the publisher facing an ever-changing market while wearing multiple hats and trying to place life-changing stories into the hands of readers, God sees your desires. He knows the struggle as you balance business and ministry. You are making a difference.

As each of us walk through our personal journeys, may we stop and ask each other, “Where have you come from, and where are you going?” Remember the fire and passion God instilled in you from the beginning. Remember what He’s brought you through. Dream. Dance with Him and set new goals.

Let us see each other. Share. Invest in each other lives. Pray and encourage.

There is tremendous comfort in being seen and passing that gift to others.

Tara Johnson is an author and speaker, and loves to write stories that help people break free from the lies they believe about themselves. Tara’s debut novel Engraved on the Heart (Tyndale) earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly, and finaled in the Carol and Christy awards. She, her husband, and children live in Arkansas.