Overlooked: Finding Your Worth When You Feel All AloneSample

Day 5: Living Seen in a See-Me World

When we choose to live seen by the God who loves us instead of trying to be seen by the world, it can feel like a reckless move toward obscurity. Maybe you’ve heard of the term FOMO – the fear of missing out. This concept is more than a silly acronym. Psychological studies have identified the effects of FOMO including depression, sleep disturbances, loneliness, and even suicide.

So many are shouting, “See me!” because they fear feeling like they’re missing out. When we choose to disengage from self-promotion, we’re likely to feel a little FOMO. So how do we live seen by God in a see-me world?

We keep looking up.

If we want to experience the joy of living seen, we have to spend time with the God who sees and loves us.

But, there can be a sense of mystery surrounding intimacy with Christ. We've been told specific requirements like an outline for our quiet times: read a certain Bible plan, journal for 5 minutes, read a devotional every day, the list goes on…

You may have a history of feeling shamed by other Christians who used quiet times as a works-based standard for their Good Person list. With so many requirements, expectations, and restrictions, “quiet time” can start to sound like something we’d rather avoid.

I once viewed my time with Jesus as a weekday chore, similar to exercising. But when I realized that the God Who Sees wants to spend time with me, my perspective changed. Spending time with Jesus has made a tangible difference in my life. Intimacy has cradled my heart, comforted me in struggles, and changed my attitude on hard days.

Now I view my time with Jesus like breath.

Intimacy with Christ is the foundation we cling to in a world that can leave us feeling like we’re overlooked, unimportant, and missing out. Without it, we are easily swayed by the self-promoting world around us. Staying grounded in God’s attention and approval requires resoluteness. To be a rock, we must have our feet on the Rock.

Jesus, give me a renewed passion for spending time with you. As I draw near to you, I trust you will draw near to me, filling me with the strength I need to live confidently in your love.

This plan is presented to you by Overlooked: Finding Your Worth When You Feel All Alone by Whitney Akin, a resource of Leafwood Publishers. To find out more about this book, please visit www.whitneyakin.com, or find a copy of Overlooked at your favorite online retailer.