Does God See ME?

 

Do you ever wonder if you’re seen by God?

 Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

Can God See Me?

Although many will ask, “Is there a God?” I believe that more are concerned with the question, “Does God see me?” If He exists, does He even know who I am?  This is not a selfish, self-centered, or arrogant question; it is simply an expression of a need to be seen. The feeling is comparable to what we felt as a baby with our parents. Whenever we felt ignored or just needed attention, we cried. If we had good, responsible, caring parents, they responded to our cry by being there and doing something to assure us we were not alone. Is it too much to ask the same of God? Our fear of being alone or abandoned is deep-seated. And, for most of us, it is amplified during times of trouble and testing. When we are threatened by things beyond our control, we need comfort and reassurance from someone who is in control. And, if no one else is, we’d like to think that God is. This is why we’re more concerned with knowing if God sees us vs. knowing if He exists at all. When we are afraid, we need Him to see us and come to our aid. Otherwise, why would we care about a God who has no interest in us?

The interesting part of this discussion is that God does not like to be alone either? How do we know that? Contemplate these thoughts:

1. If God wanted to be alone, there would be no reason for Him to create us. The whole story of the Bible centers on the concept that God created us to have fellowship with us and for us to be His family.
2. One of the first observations God made after creating Adam was recorded in Genesis 2:

¹⁸ Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is right for him.” Genesis 2:18 NCV

God did not want to be alone, and He knew that Adam would not want to be alone either. Remember this as we move on.

However, just because God gave Adam, Eve to provide companionship is no guarantee He will express the same concern for us. Yet, the Bible further teaches us that:

“God watches where people go; he sees every step they take.” Job 34:21 NCV

So, God does see us, but does He care about us? In the Psalms, it says:

God clearly sees His people and, more to the point, He cares for us and won’t leave us or give up on us. But let’s be selfish for a moment. How do we know that God sees ME? There are several insights given to us in the Bible, but I particularly like:

In my distress, I said, “God cannot see me!” But you heard my prayer when I cried out to you for help. Psalm 31:22 NCV

The one who created our ears hears us because the one who created our eyes also sees us! If this is true, why do we struggle believing it?

Does He Hear my Concerns?

What really disappoints people about God (if they believe He exists and sees and hears them) is when it appears as if He is ignoring their concerns. Such a belief can only result in one of two conclusions:

1. I am not important enough for God to pay any attention to me. OR,
2. God is too busy to get around to my concerns.

Perhaps there is a third conclusion: What we see and think is happening is not the way it appears. For those old enough to remember Rod Sterling and the Twilight Zone, remember how he began each episode:

“You’re traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind, a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That’s the signpost up ahead—your next stop, the Twilight Zone.” Rod Sterling 

The premise behind each episode was that “things aren’t often as they appear.” Sight and sound is not enough to properly interpret what’s happening. The Twilight Zone was all about tweaking our perceptions and showing us that the conclusions we draw from life can be altered when we view them from another dimension. We may not have to enter the Twilight Zone to understand this concept. As a child, how many times did you disagree with what your parents told you was true? I remember my dad telling me that the ocean was a force to be respected. “The minute you turn your back on it, it will crush you!” he said. I thought he was crazy and that I could handle anything the ocean could throw at me…until I almost drowned from a rogue wave. My father was right. His advice was designed to protect me. God works in much the same way. He lives outside of time, so He sees the beginning and end of all things as if they were just one continuous story. God lives in something similar to the Twilight Zone. As a result, what He does to show His care for us often doesn’t always make sense (assuming we even recognized His answer). Yet, many who wrote of their experiences in the Bible attest to the fact that God does care. Read what some have written on this subject in the Bible:

‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. Isaiah 38:5 NCV

The Lord looked down from heaven on all people to see if anyone understood, if anyone was looking to God for help. Psalm 14:2 NCV

God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. Psalm 53:2 NKJV

¹¹ “‘This is what the Lord God says: I, myself, will search for my sheep and take care of them. Ezekiel 34:11 NCV

So, it is true… the all-powerful God, the creator of all things does see me and He is does care about what is happening in my life even if I don’t see it. 

Why do I Feel Ignored?

Let’s face it, we are selfish people and (most of the time) all we care about is what is happening to us. If we are sick, unemployed, unloved, or homeless, we want someone to recognize, care about, help, or at least empathize with our struggles. When that does not happen, we feel alone, insignificant, or marginalized, and the result may lead to sadness, anger, frustration, resentment, and even suicidal thoughts. It hurts when others don’t see us or the pain we are in. It hurts even more if we think God can’t spare the time to help us. I suspect that is the number one reason why people give up believing in, or turning to God. Is there a magic formula to attracting God’s attention? The prophet Isaiah offered one perspective on this question:

Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. Isaiah 64:4 NIV

Isaiah suggests that God “acts on behalf of those who wait for him.” Earlier, the same prophet said:

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: 31 NKJV

This is one of the most loved and memorized verses in the Bible. It simply repeats the advice that probably drove you crazy as a kid when you asked your parents for something. Their answer was, “Wait.” It’s a hard lesson to accept. Often, it makes us feel unloved or unseen. But, our God, like a good parent, knows both when and how to address our concerns. He is never ignoring us! Jesus said:

 ⁹ So I tell you, ask, and God will give to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will open for you. ¹⁰ Yes, everyone who asks will receive. The one who searches will find. And everyone who knocks will have the door opened. ¹¹ If your children ask for a fish, which of you would give them a snake instead? ¹² Or, if your children ask for an egg, would you give them a scorpion? ¹³ Even though you are bad, you know how to give good things to your children. How much more your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11: 9-13 NCV

What Jesus is saying is — God will answer our prayers. What we have a hard time with is — they seem to take too long and/or we may not recognize when they have been answered because the answer is not what we expected (or wanted). To solve this problem, we need to understand and follow Jesus’ advice:

• Ask God:  This is usually the place where most prayers start and stop. 
• Search for God’s Will:  Part of our responsibility in praying is to ask God for that which is good for us. As a child, when our parents said “No” to a request, it was most likely due to our parents judgement that our request was not in our best interest. So, ask responsibly, not frivolously.
• Knock on God’s Door: This is an encouragement to be bold in our prayers. If we have done our homework and we truly believe our prayers are within God’s will, we have every right to boldly present our requests before Him. The image of knocking is a deeply personal one as we’re invited to come straight up to God’s own home and personally petition Him for our prayer. But, to do so, we must know where He lives.
• Believe and Wait:  We’ve all heard about the power of positive thinking, so apply it with your prayers! God wants the best for us. But he also wants us to believe that He “know(s) how to give good things” to us — in His timing. Whatever we receive from Him is meant for our good — no matter what we may think nor how long it takes!

What Can I Count on From God?

So, if we believe God exists, that He actually does see me and hears my prayers, that He is not ignoring me, what can I count on from Him and how will I recognize it? My first note of encouragement comes from the prophet Jeremiah — these are the words of God:

¹¹ I say this because I know what I am planning for you,” says the Lord. “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future. Jeremiah 29: 11 NCV

It is important to believe that:  God knows us and He has good plans for us. Even if we don’t see it, it’s there. It may be coming from the Twilight Zone, but it is coming. The truth is, you can refuse to receive God’s blessing IF:

• You don’t believe in Him.
• You don’t trust Him.
• You aren’t willing to wait for Him.
• Your goal is to trick Him with insincere motives and/or evil motives.

God knows who is evil, and when he sees evil, he takes note of it. Job 11:11 NCV

“The wicked think, “God has forgotten us. He doesn’t see what is happening.” Psalm 10:11 NCV   

Bottom line: We cannot fool God. He sees everything. When we approach Him in prayer, we must believe that He is good, that He knows what we need, and that we can trust Him to take care of us. The author of Proverbs expressed this thought very clearly: 

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3: 5-6 NKJV

These words are much easier to read than to follow. Their truth is that you can count on God IF you:

• Trust Him Completely:  He will not fail you!
• Trust Him more than yourself: Our vision is incomplete. We see in only one dimension. God’s perspective contains facts you do not have! 
• Allow Him to lead you: When we are driving the bus, we do so without a map. Only God knows where we need to go. Let Him do the driving.

Moses, who wrote the Book of Deuteronomy, probably understood God better than anyone who ever lived. He spoke directly to God and God answered him back as if they were close friends (and, they were!) Here’s how Moses portrayed God:

So know that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God. He will keep his agreement of love for a thousand lifetimes for people who love him and obey his commands. Deuteronomy 7:9 NCV

And, in the book of Psalms, it was said:

Lord God All-Powerful, who is like you? Lord, you are powerful and completely trustworthy. Psalm 89: 8 NCV

Finally, take comfort in the words of Paul, the Apostle:

Just think—you don’t need a thing, you’ve got it all! All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that. 1 Corinthians 1: 9 MSG

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