As far as I can remember in my life, I’ve never been one to stand out. I am the younger sister to a firstborn son in a traditional Korean family, so my brother almost always got all the attention. I didn’t stand out for my looks, for my outgoing personality or for any exceptional talent. For a shy kid, I guess it didn’t make much of a difference, it was actually a relief. My nature was further reinforced by the fact that I was raised in the traditions of the Korean culture, where it was considered a virtue for women to be reticent and submissive, and to remain in the background.
I wanted to be heard, be seen and be noticed.
I wanted to matter and make a difference.
As I grew up and started to think for myself and to form my own opinions, I grew a desire to have a voice. I wanted to be heard, be seen and be noticed. I wanted to matter and make a difference. Being shy by nature and having been nurtured within the constraints of my culture, speaking up and expressing my voice did not come naturally, and it’s always been a struggle. In many situations, as a student in my teens and well into my young adulthood as a working professional, I never felt fully entitled to have an opinion that was worth expressing. I never truly believed that what I had to say mattered or could make a difference. In my struggle, writing became my refuge as well as my desperately needed outlet to express everything that was in my heart and mind without any inhibitions.
The other day I found myself revisiting a post I wrote about Hagar as part of the Women in the Word series from She Reads Truth. As I was reading Genesis 16, verse 13 struck me in a way that it never did before. It says, “She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.” Our God is a God who sees Hagar, a slave girl who’s been forced into a situation, not of her own choosing, and mistreated for an outcome that was out of her control. Talk about not having a voice. And yet God sees her and also hears her and the cries of her son later on in Genesis 21. Both times, when Hagar runs away and then later is sent away to the desert, God seeks after her because she matters to Him. When Hagar says “I have now seen the One who sees me,” she recognizes her source of strength and protection and trusting in God’s promise, she finds the confidence to face her difficult circumstances and keep going.
I can make a difference in people’s lives
by my quiet and steadfast love and care for them,
speaking up only when necessary
for the sake of those who need to be heard.
Now that I’m older, and hopefully wiser, I feel more confident in what I have to say and when I have to say it. Being grounded in God’s truth helps me know that I was created in His image and have an inherent value that is undeniable and cannot be taken away by this world. However, I’ve also learned that to make a difference in this world, I don’t necessarily need to be the loudest, the most outspoken, or even draw attention to myself. I can make an impact in this world by using my God given gifts to serve others. I can make a difference in people’s lives by my quiet and steadfast love and care for them, speaking up only when necessary for the sake of those who need to be heard. The words in 1 Peter 4:10-11 echo my sentiments, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”
Have a blessed rest of the week!
Linking up with these lovelies: Word Filled Wednesday | A Little R & R | Coffee and Conversation | Thursday Favorite Things | SHINE | Thought Provoking Thursday | Cozy Reading Spot | Fellowship Fridays | Faith Filled Friday | Grace & Truth | Words with Winter | #RaRaLinkup | Unite
This was lovely and what a wonderful point/lesson you pulled from Hagar’s story.
Thanks for sharing (and for linking up to the #SHINEbloghop).
Wishing you a lovely day.
xoxo
Hi Cynthia, This was a message I needed to hear today so thanks for sharing your insightful thoughts. I too grew up very shy and my personality is still more that of an introvert so I can relate to how you felt. I love your point about not having to be the loudest person to make a difference. Have a wonderful long weekend with your family!
Marta
http://www.sweatersstripesandsweets.com
What personal growth! It is intriguing to read. And a good lesson for me. I recognize a lot in what you write. All the attention was for my younger brother when we were children. he was only boy. Thank you for sharing 1 Peter 4:10-11 with us.
And wehn I look to your photo I see a beautiful woman!
Such a beautiful post, Cynthia! Thank you for your thoughtful and affecting words. Wonderful inspiration to begin the long weekend! xox-M
Beautiful reminder! Tweeting and pinning! I love what you did to bring out Hagar’s story. So important for so many to read. Blessings!
Hi Cynthia,
I am so glad I clicked on your link at #FellowshipFriday! I noticed the title right away because I wrote one a while back with a very similar title! We used the same verse, too. I loved how you weaved your personal story into that verse. So beautiful! I love this space of yours and look forward to connecting more in the future 🙂
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Hello dear Cynthia! What a beautiful post you wrote my sweet friend. Yes, you do make a difference and I am so glad I met you and I feel very thankful for having you as a friend in the blogosphere world. I can relate to you so much regarding your upbringing. I felt the same way and I continue working on certain aspects of my life related to the way I was brought up. Thanks so much for sharing. Have a blessed Sunday! XOXO, Jeannette
http://www.msjeannieandhercloset.com
If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”
Powerful stuff Cynthia! You are definitely being seen and heard by many! Keep up the good work!
http://www.dressed2dnines.com
Cynthia,
I appreciate how you highlighted Hagar’s experience with God: “You are the God who sees me.” That makes my heart sing! Thank you for using your gifts!
The God Who sees us – this is such a tender message, and how good our God is to provide it for us! Thank you for pointing us toward it, and also toward Him. I’m so glad you shared this with us at Grace & Truth – you’re a valuable part of our community!
I so appreciate this post, and the gentle grace that’s communicated here for the encouragement of the Body. Thank you so much for linking it up with us at Grace & Truth!! I will be featuring it tomorrow for our next round of Grace & Truth so please be sure to stop by my blog and get your “I’ve Been Featured” button for this post! Thank you for writing this important message.
Wow..what a remarkable and revealing post Cynthia! I am so thankful that God led you to expound on such an incredible reminder. I am humbled and encouraged that God sees me where I am. There are no surprises for Him! I have heard and read the story of Hagar before but glad God used you to remind us that He sees and is always with us. It is amazing to see the path God takes us on as He has plans to use us as a vessel to glorify Him. So glad you shared this on grace and Truth. I am truly encouraged! Many blessings to you and yours!
These words you’ve shared are such a blessing to me. I think we all feel, sometimes, as if we aren’t seen, our voice not heard. I love how you relate the story of Hagar to this. Yes, God is the one who truly sees us- and loves us.
BTW- I love the photo collage you have at the top of your blog!
Thanks for this powerful testimony about the God who sees you and each of us as we are. The story of Hagar is a perfect example! I think at different times and ways many of us can feel invisible as we are growing up in our families, but as I read what you have written I am reminded of how He never misses us. I so enjoyed visiting here today! Blessings to you!