My kids have the movie The Incredibles, and I can’t even begin to count how many times we’ve watched it. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a Disney/Pixar movie about a family of super heroes with super powers who’ve gone into hiding and are trying to be normal.
The daughter, Violet, has the invisibility super power. She can disappear. She just blends into the background and no one can see her.
I have felt like Violet quite a few times in my life, especially when it comes to my dreams and walking out the plan of God in my life. I kind of just blend into the background. Like no one can see me. “Can God even see me? Did He forget about me? Did he forget about my dreams? Hellooooo!?! Anybody up there??? Am I invisible?”
And then I realized…I was in good company. I wasn’t the only one ever to be invisible.
Joseph had some amazing, God-given dreams. Two of them. They were specific. He was to be a leader. His brothers would bow to him. And then he was sold into slavery and thrown into prison. Invisible for 20 years. “Helloooo? God? Did you forget about me?”
Until….Pharaoh had a dream. Then it all changed.
Moses was to be the deliverer of God’s people. He even tried to step out into it and save a Hebrew being mistreated and ended up killing an Egyptian slave master over it. Good intentions. Wrong execution.
So he ran for his life and became invisible. For 40 years, he seemed invisible. He wasn’t delivering anybody. He wasn’t doing anything with the call on his life. “I really messed it up. God could never use me now. I wouldn’t use me either if I were God!”
Until the burning bush. Then it all changed.
David was anointed and called to be king as a teenager. And then he was sent back out into the fields to shepherd his dad’s flock. And he spent years running from Saul. Hiding in caves. Invisible. “Ummm….God? What about this call? Didn’t you anoint me to be king? He must have passed me by. If something were gonna happen, it would have happened by now.”
Until Saul and his sons were killed in battle. Then it all changed. And God raised him up. And he was promoted into the kingship. Into what he had already been anointed and called to do.
And here we sit with dreams and desires…anointings and callings. With life not quite looking like we thought. “Lord, what about what you told me? The dream? Hellooooo!?! Are you there? Did you forget about me? I feel so invisible.”
But invisible doesn’t mean forgotten. It could very well just be that you are hidden.
Hidden could be God making sure you’re in the right place at the right time. Like Joseph. Joseph had to be sold into slavery and sold to Potipher and thrown into that prison to interpret the dreams of someone who had Pharaoh’s ear so that when the time was right he could interpret Pharaoh’s dream.
Prison probably isn’t what he thought of when he first had his dreams, but it was exactly the right place for Joseph.
Hidden could be God protecting you. Like Moses. Who had to run for his life after committing murder. Invisible. Getting married and having babies and raising his family and moving on with life. Until it was time to deliver God’s people. And God knew right where he was.
Hidden could be preparation years. Like David. Who learned who God was in the fields with the flocks. Who learned how to battle in those early, invisible years. Who learned how to lead by starting with first a few men, then a few hundred men, and then a whole nation…when the time was right.
If you’re feeling invisible today, please know that you’re not. You could just be hidden. Until the time is right. And then everything changes.
You might be in the middle of fabulous right now where everything is clicking and you’ve stepped into all of your heart’s desires. And that’s awesome!
But you might be in the middle of invisible. Not where you want to be. You don’t see how this could be God’s plan or how it will get you to your dream. You may have messed up and think God could never use you now.
But don’t be discouraged. God knows right where you are and He has a perfect time for you. And He knows how to turn your mess into a masterpiece!
Even when we’re hidden, we’re not alone. He is right there with us. Like Moses when God hid him in the cleft of the rock and covered him with His hand and caused all His glory and goodness to pass by and surround him.
He hasn’t forgotten you. You’re not invisible. He has hidden you under His hand and is directing every step of your life toward His plan. Trust Him.
He’s with you. Press into His glory and His goodness. That’s when discouragement leaves and peace and contentment show up.
You are my hiding place and my shield of protection;
I hope in Your word. (Psalm 119:114)