One day, I was in line to get food at school. It was kind of a hectic day so the people taking our orders were moving very quickly, and somehow they skipped me and went to the person behind me. Well, me being the person that I am, I wasn't about to make a huge deal about it and there were only a few more people in the line behind me, so I was just going to let them take the rest of the orders and then give them mine at the end. Well, to my surprise, after the girl behind me ordered, they didn't go to the person behind her, they came to me! I was so surprised because I had already decided I would just wait until the end to give my order because they clearly overlooked me (I'm short, it happens lol), but it turns out that I didn't have to wait until the end because they actually did see me. In that moment, God reminded me that He sees me, and He has not forgotten me.
In the same way that it seemed like the people taking orders forgot about me, it can be so easy to look at the people around you and see all of the great things God is doing in their lives and think that God has forgotten about you. But in the same way that I wasn't forgotten when I was in line that day, the same way you are not forgotten when it comes to the way that God sees you and the amazing things He has planned for your life.
I know how easy it is to get discouraged when it seems like no one cares about you. I know how easy it is to get discouraged when everyone around you knows their purpose but you. I know how easy it is to compare your life to theirs in those moments and how easy it is to focus on how insignificant you feel. I know how easy it is to get discouraged when you feel like even though you know your purpose, it seems like everyone is getting the opportunity to walk in their purpose but you, and you can't help but to wonder if God has forgotten about you.
But can I tell you something? Even though you may feel these things (or others that I haven't mentioned here), you're not insignificant. You're not invisible. You're not worthless. You're not unwanted. You're not purposeless. God sees you and has not forgotten about you.
Wherever you may be in life, here are some things to remember:
1. You are not forgotten
If we look at what the Bible says, we will see over and over and over again that God sees us, knows us, and loves us so much! And if we believe that what the Bible says is indeed true (which, it is), we will stop listening to these lies that we are so quick to feed ourselves that no one (including God) cares about us.
"Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs on your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value that many sparrows." -Matthew 10:29-31
Sparrows are the smallest birds, yet they're still extremely valuable to God. It's easy for us to forget that sparrows even exist, it's easy for us to pay no attention to them. But just because we don't pay attention to them, doesn't mean that God doesn't pay attention to them. Just because we forget about them, it doesn't mean that God forgets about them. I love this verse because it shows that what we may think of as having minimal importance, God sees as extremely valuable. When we think of ourselves as having minimal importance, God looks at us and sees someone extremely valuable. When we look in the mirror and think no one cares, no one notices, or no one knows us, we can look in the Word and find that to be far from the truth.
"So God created mankind in His own image.." -Genesis 1:27
"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well." - Psalm 139:14
We see in these verses that God has carefully created us in His image. God took all of this time to create us, and yet we still don't think He sees us? He took the time to make the most intricate detail in each of us, yet how can He forget us? From your fingerprint, to your laugh, to the dreams deep within your heart, He created it all and He knows you, everything about you. You are HIS and He has not and will not forget you.
When we feel unimportant to other people, we can remember just how special we are in God's sight. Don't you think He who created you, He who loves you, certainly sees you and certainly has not forgotten you? God reminds me over and over again that when I am around people and I feel left out, forgotten, or invisible, that IT IS OKAY. Because I'm not. He sees me, He knows me, He loves me, and even if everyone else does, He has not forgotten about me, and ultimately, that's all that matters.
"But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, And the Lord has forgotten me." "Can a woman forget her nursing child and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these my forget, but I will not forget you. "Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me." -Isaiah 49:14-16
2. God has not forgotten to give you a purpose
Like I mentioned before, it is extremely easy to look at what God is doing in other people's lives and then look at our own lives and feel discouraged. We compare our lives to what we see happening in the pulpit or in the front of the classroom or on Instagram or Twitter, but we forget that the same way that God has given them a purpose, He has also given each of us a purpose. You may not know your purpose, and that's fine. But just because you don't know your specific purpose does not mean that you don't have one. Not knowing your purpose isn't a reason for you to assume that God has forgotten to give you one, because He definitely hasn't.
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." -Ephesians 2:10
This verse {among many more} is proof that God has given us each a purpose. The main purpose for all Christians is to love God with your entire being and to love your neighbor as yourself, and as you do that, God will begin to reveal more of His specific purpose to you.
Sometimes we look at what others are doing and forget that we serve the same God. If our God gives one person a purpose, what makes you think He won't give you one? The promises in the Bible aren't just for "those" kind of Christians, they're aren't for everyone BUT you; no they're for us all, they're for everyone INCLUDING you. The commands God gives in the Bible, aren't just for them to follow, but they're for US to follow.
If you think God has forgotten about you and forgotten to give you a purpose, and you've been trying to figure out why on earth you're here, I encourage you to seek God and study His Word for yourself. Don't compare your life to what you see others doing, don't let seeing others walking in their purpose discourage you, but let it motivate you. Let it push you. God has a purpose for each of us, and nobody's purpose is exactly the same because nobody is exactly the same. God made you YOU so that you could carry out the purpose that He has given you, and this is a purpose that no one else can carry out quite like you can.
Don't get discouraged if you don't know what your purpose is. Know that God has a purpose for you, and when you are ready, He will reveal it to you. He certainly did not forget about you when He planned the good works for us to do long ago.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:11-13
3. God has not forgotten to carry out your purpose
"So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." -Isaiah 55:11
Take a look at Genesis chapter one. God spoke, and it happened. Every time. God cannot speak something over your life and then it not happen.
God has not forgotten the purpose that He have you or the promises that He made to you. It may seem that way, but He hasn't because He can't. It may seem there's no way possible, you may have lost everything, you may be in a really bad place and think it's too late, but it's not. Your circumstances can't and won't stop God from being faithful to His word.
Or maybe your circumstances are great, but nothing's happening. You feel like God forgot what He said would happen because you feel like it should have happened by now. Again, you start to compare your life to those around you, and again this causes you to become more and more discontent.
Or maybe you have strayed. You've stopped spending time with God, you've stopped listening to God, you've stopped obeying God, you've stopped trusting God, and then you wonder if His purpose for your life will still come to pass. Come back to Him, repent, be washed in the blood, and again, He has purpose right there waiting on you. He hasn't forgotten it, He's waiting for you to come back.
Just because you don't immediately see God's purpose being fulfilled in your life doesn't mean He forgot what He created you to do. He has created you for a purpose, and just because you're not walking in it now doesn't mean you never will.
God told you that you're going to be a missionary halfway across the world, yet you're still at home. Well, be a missionary right where you are. God told you you would use your gift of singing for His glory, but no one has asked you to perform or anything. Well, sing praises to Him throughout the day. When God sees that you are being faithful to Him where you are now, then He will begin to open doors for you to carry out the purpose He has placed inside of you.
When God reveals His purpose to you, that doesnt mean youre automatically going to do it. It took David 15 years to become the king after he was anointed. It took Abraham 25 years to have his child after God promised him one. It took Jesus 30 years to begin his ministry–and 3 years after that for him to do what he actually came down here to do– die for our sins. There are many more instances in the Bible of people having to wait before they receive the promise/purpose that God has given them, and it will take some time for you, too. But just because it's taking a while doesn't mean God has forgotten.
Even if you're not where God is taking you, God has you where you are now for a reason. Instead of sulking about God being unfaithful and making an empty promise to you, use where you are now to build your character and your faith in Him. God is using this time to teach you patience, kindness, joy, contentment, and other skills you will need once you are walking in your purpose, and if you rush ahead you will miss all that He is trying to teach you and build in you now. The reason you're not walking in your purpose is not because God has forgotten what He said, but you're not walking in your purpose right now because God is preparing you for when you will be.
God doesn't make empty promises. He is forever faithful. He hasn't forgotten what He called you to do.
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." -Philippians 1:6
So, there you have it. God has not forgotten you. Even when everyone else has, even when you think He has, even when you feel like He has, even when you've forgotten His promises for yourself. He has not and will not ever forget you. He made you, He loves you, and He rejoices in you. Now, it's up to you to live like you believe it.
"Nothing is hidden from Your sight, wherever I go You find me. You know every detail of my life; You are God and You don't miss a thing." -Bethel Music, You Know Me
God bless!
♥ Elisha