Have you ever felt like the Invisible Man? Well, in my case, Invisible Woman? I would venture to guess that most of us feel this way more than once in our lifetime.
Maybe we feel invisible in the workplace. We feel overworked and underappreciated - maybe the boss or management seems to always overlook us. Maybe our coworkers take us for granted.
What about as a parent? It's very easy to feel overlooked here as well. We play the roles of caretaker, chauffeur, referee, coach, nurse, teacher, cook, maid, lender, etc and etc. Our list of roles can go on and on. It's sometimes easy to feel overlooked when the gratitude doesn't come pouring in. And with our own children, so much of what we do is taken for granted. Moms and Dads are just SUPPOSED to do all that stuff. Every now and then we I have a "meltdown" (which I have to do for sanity's sake) I'm often greeted with expressions of perplexion and puzzlement. It's like "Gee....what was THAT all about?" I think it often surprises our kids also when they find out that we have feelings - we don't run on autopilot. I never thought much about my own parents having their feelings hurt or overlooked, I don't know why I was surprised when my own children seemed to be knocked for a loop when they figured that one out with me.
What about in marriage? It's so easy to feel overlooked and invisible in our role as spouse. We get so busy taking care of the normal day to day tasks and responsiblities in life that we just begin to assume that our spouse is always on the same page with us. It's often surprising when we find out that we're on vastly different pages. We never intended to emotionally neglect one another or take each other for granted. We're not even sure when it started. But it happened somewhere along the way.
What about at church? What about in our roles on various committees or boards? In volunteer work? There are so many areas in which we can begin to feel invisible. Sometimes we even seek out the safety there is in anonymity. I'm convinced that sometimes we seek out churches where we can just blend in with the masses and come and go without anyone noticing. That way we won't be called upon to get involved in small groups or relationships. So sometimes I think we seek out the invisibility. Maybe that's where we feel comfortable.
However, we need to realize that we are not invisible with God. He knows us...inside and out. He loves us unconditionally....flaws and all. No matter how many times we stumble, falter, run away, hide, fail...He is there to pick us up, dust us off, and welcome us back. Nothing we do or don't do can make us unloveable or unacceptable to Him. We are never....I repeat, NEVER invisible with God.
Lately, I've felt invisible in some areas of my life. The New Year, which is always a time of reflection, led me to ask myself a question....."Who am I treating as invisible in my life? Am I making anyone feel that way?" Do I show my husband, daughters, parents, siblings, friends, co-workers, that I love them? Do they feel accepted and safe around me? Do they know that I am always there for them....with unconditional grace and love?
My goal this week is to make sure that those I am surrounded by know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are not invisible to me.
