Now and Not Yet by Ruth Chou Simonsنموونە

Pause for a moment with me to consider how often in Scripture we see faithful men and women who were seemingly hidden from their full potential yet not forgotten by God. Remember David, who was promised the throne of Israel yet forced to run for years from his adversary, King Saul, hiding in caves and removed from the position and prominence he was promised.

Or what about the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well in John 4? She was so isolated and hidden from her community that she drew water during the heat of the day when no one else would choose to go. . .

What did those hidden years produce? Well, David’s hidden years proved extremely fruitful as God used those circumstances to bring about the many psalms of worship, lament, and surrender that serve us, the church, today. God used David’s hidden years to prepare an imperfect man for an earthly throne—a throne that would one day usher in a forever king.

And, the woman at the well? Her hiddenness ultimately ushered her into a place of surrender to and worship of Jesus, her Savior. She went from hiding from the townspeople to becoming an evangelist in her community: “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony...” (John 4:39)

Sometimes, we don’t see God’s purposes until we’re on the “other side” of the circumstance. The seasons we, in our limited understanding, had deemed fruitless often turn out to be anything but. So many victorious stories of impact, influence, and leadership in God’s Word were born out of long periods of seemingly purposeless hiddenness. It’s just so hard for us to see the possibility or potential on the other side when we’re in the middle of it.

Prayer

Lord, there are times when I feel like I am hidden. Thank you for reminding me that you are always with me and that you have a purpose for me. Amen.