Overlooked, underrated, marginalized, having to wait for everything, and not getting what you deserve. Maybe these things describe the way you feel about life. Perhaps you are concerned that God doesn't see what is going on in the world around you. But our God does not pass us by, nor is He unaware of our circumstances.

 Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in….

 "To whom then will you liken Me, or to whom shall I be equal?" says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; not one is missing.

 Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel: "My way is hidden from the Lord, and my just claim is passed over by my God"? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:21-22,25-31)

 When looking inward, often we are at a loss for answers and try to reason why things are the way they are. Looking outward at our surroundings brings up more questions and can increase anxiety. Isaiah encouraged us to look a different direction—upward. Here are three ways this passage can help us gain perspective and live out these truths.

 Know who God is. God Himself is in control of all of life and the workings of the entire universe. When you think life is getting out of control, remember that He is the giver of life and knows all things. Who created the earth? Who set it perfectly in place? Remember that He alone is God who is in complete control of the world we live in. As Isaiah wrote, "Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things." Take the time to look at what the Bible says about God, and remember that His creation points directly to Him and His power and might.

1. Trust that He sees you. In this passage, Israel wondered, Doesn’t God see me? When opportunities seem to pass you by, or difficulties come into your life, maybe you, too, have felt yourself asking, "Am I hidden? Does no one see me?" When you feel as though you’ve been unjustly treated, that you haven’t gotten what you deserve or want, remember that God is the God who sees. He is not ignorant of the situations we face. If you are feeling unseen and overlooked, remember God Himself cares for you and is readily available to be with you in prayer and His Word. First Peter 5:6-7 says, "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you" (NASB). 
2. Wait on the Lord. Scripture has a lot to say about waiting; waiting always serves a purpose in God’s plan. Our Lord never gets weary, tired, or impatient. He is always active and knows all things, and because of that, we can wait confidently in Him. If your life feels like it is disregarded by others or that situations are just getting worse and worse, know that God will not neglect you or turn away. He will give you the strength to run, to not grow weary, and to soar as on eagle’s wings. In his commentary, Matthew Henry wrote, "They shall change their strength, as their work is changed—doing work, suffering work; they shall have strength to labour, strength to wrestle, strength to resist, strength to bear. As the day so shall the strength be." In our obedience of waiting on the Lord, He gives us abundantly more. He gives of Himself and draws us near to Him so that we can endure and excel in all aspects of our lives, regardless of the conditions around us.Lift up your eyes, and look up at the truth of God’s Word. Know that He will without fail make good on His promises."The darker the night, the brighter the stars; the deeper the grief, the closer is God!" 

?Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Crime and Punishment

Maria Pardo

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