Feeling Invisible?

Do you ever feel invisible? Me too. Most of us probably battle this feeling at some point in our lives.

Everyone has different triggers. Mine generally involve being in large groups of people  (makes sense that I’m part of a “mega-church,” right? ) or in new settings with no familiar faces. Or in a group of people that I know where everyone else is engaged in conversation, and I’m awkwardly looking around.

How about you? What triggers that “invisible” feeling for you? And what do you do with the feelings? 

It’s easy to descend from a passing feeling of insignificance to a full scale pity party. The feeling is natural; the pity party is a choice.

I’m not trying to sound like Sister Righteous! I’ve been the hostess for one-person pity parties more times than I can count.

But I am waging war against the inevitability of going there. I am fighting back. And my weapons include the following:

-Looking for someone else to encourage. I know that if I’m feeling invisible, someone else undoubtedly is too. Instead of saying “woe is me,” I try to find someone whose day I can brighten. Just looking someone in the eye and smiling can make a difference to someone who is hurting.

-Refusing to further isolate myself when I get that invisible feeling.This can be a hard one. But when I step out, I’m always glad I did. Always.

-Acknowledging the feeling, and accepting that it’s natural.  It’s always darkest before the dawn. When you’re feeling invisible, you can choose a destructive behavior to self medicate, you can crawl into a cave, you can choose to sing all the verses of “woe is me,” or you can fight back. I say FIGHT!

-Doing something for someone in need is always an antidote for feeling invisible.

-Remembering the truth that God is always with me. That He understands how I am feeling. That He loves me. That He knows my needs and my deepest desires. That He is for me.

-Looking at my gratitude journal. Very quickly, I’ll be overwhelmed and reminded by the countless ways God has blessed me.

-Refusing to fuel the negative thoughts. “You’ll do your best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious-the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.” The Message – Philippians 4:8

If you’re fighting the battle of feeling insignificant and invisible right now, may I just tell you: YOU MATTER! You were created by a loving God who knit you together in your mother’s womb. You are unique. No one else has your fingerprints. No one can make the difference that you were designed to make in this world. You matter to God and you matter to others. 

Have you defeated the enemy of feeling invisible? Please share your comments so that others can benefit.