Finding Security, Freedom, and Identity in God's SightExemple

Day 3: Hidden For A Purpose Sometimes God intentionally hides His people in order to prepare them for their future purpose. Think of Joseph, Moses, David, Paul, and Jesus—all biblical men who had seasons of concealment in order to later fulfill God’s purpose for them. If you have experienced (or are currently experiencing) a period of concealment, remember that you are not alone. I think most of us can slip into disguising ourselves, such as with false modes of being and counterfeit ways of coping. And so, mercifully, God brings us hidden years that cause a necessary stripping away—a loss of what cannot remain for a gain that cannot be lost. Think of Paul calling to us across the ages, “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8 niv). Consider the benefits to your purpose in God when you spend time in concealment: preparation, protection, potency (some purposes are most potent when completed in obscurity), and perfect timing. God reveals Himself as He wills, when He wills, and He seems to take special delight in revealing Himself to those who have little merit or power according to the world’s litmus tests. Our sovereign God has the audacity of preaching the good news to those who are hidden—the unwise, unimportant, and ignoble. If you are questioning your season of hiddenness, let me offer you this small piece of encouragement: even when you can’t see the answer—or any answer—it doesn’t mean it isn’t right around the corner. Imagine Mary Magdalene standing outside an empty tomb on that first Easter morn, talking to a man she thought was a gardener, but was, in fact, the resurrected Jesus. The answer was right there, about to be revealed, though she couldn’t “see” it yet. Reflect: During this season of hiddenness, amidst uncertainties and unseen paths, how can you engage in reflection and seek discernment to understand God's purpose for you? Prayer: Lord, I ask that this season of hiddenness may create something of significant spiritual worth in me. Help me to surrender to—and even delight in—this ministry.