While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinth 4:18  

Many years ago, I was preparing a setlist for leading worship. The week so far had been emotional for the church and my pastoral heart knew people felt uncertain and on edge. As I prepared, I chose songs that I knew would unify the congregation, adding in some older songs I thought would open people’s hearts and remind them of who God is.

We did the worship set and it was beautiful. People were moved and the environment felt light again. Numerous people came up to me afterwards telling me how great worship was and how it was just what they needed at this time. It felt good.

You’d think ‘job well done,’ right? However, it was quite the opposite. The Holy Spirit was about to teach me something that changed the way I prepare to this day. As the last person congratulated me on leading so well, the gentle but firm rebuke of the Holy Spirit came:

“You led the people where they wanted to go, not where I needed them to go.”

Let that sink in for a second… Ouch. I missed God by focusing too much on people. Focusing on what I had seen, not tapping into the unseen realm of what the Spirit of God wanted to do.

As the revelation sunk in, I got a picture of a shepherd and his sheep. The sheep wanted to return to pastures that were known, pastures that felt comfortable, pastures they had been to before. But the season required new pastures. God was doing something new and fresh. He needed me as the vessel in His hand to be attentive, to use my ‘leadership tool’ to lead people where He wanted them to go.

Effective leadership should always be subject to the direction of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes all the books and earthly wisdom will direct you one way but God can direct you otherwise reminding us that He knows best. God looks beyond the seen, the tangible, and the now. He sees into the future, the unseen.

When we focus on what God wants to do, we experience peace and rest. When we focus on what we think needs to happen, or what others expect, we can experience angst and over-analyse our performance. “Did I do enough?” “Did I hit the mark?”

2 Corinthians 5:7 reminds us that we are to walk by faith (unseen) not by sight (seen).

Whether leading worship or giving a presentation at work, we can spend hours preparing for what will be seen. We fix (or fixate on) our outward appearance. We imagine how people will respond to what we present. Then afterwards we weigh our success based on outward observations and the comments of others. But have we prepared or reflected on what is unseen?

To prepare for the unseen, we must ask the Holy Spirit for a whisper of what He wants to do before we begin preparing for what is seen. This immediately directs preparation toward our heart, our spirit and our mind as the priority. Sometimes we may feel like we’ve failed in the eyes of man, but if we have done exactly what God has required of us that’s all we need to know. Sometimes the circumstances when we receive the most praise from people can be the times we’ve actually missed the mark. It’s not about right or wrong, it’s about recalibrating our measure of success to value what is unseen above what is seen–learning to detach from what others think and refocus our attention on Jesus.

It’s time to consume yourself in what God wants to do through you. You are a vessel through which God wants to pour out His Spirit. There is nothing more fulfilling than knowing you are in the centre of God’s will, and His will is found in the unseen realm—for the things which are not seen are eternal.

Questions

1. What is one thing you can do to better attune your spirit to inquire of God more than people?
2.  What situation right now do you need God’s wisdom for?
3. Ask Him what He sees and how you can prepare your spirit for it.

Prayer

Father, I place myself in your hand once again. I want to be in the centre of your will. I believe you have custom built me for your purpose on the earth. That purpose is relationship with you and obedience to what you want to do through me. Help me to fix my eyes on the unseen, on what you see. Amen.

Further Reading

• 2 Corinthians 5 Our bodies as earthly tents.
• Romans 12 Offering our lives as our worship, being transformed and knowing His will- our unseen life of worship.

Thought to ponder…

Lately, I’ve been wondering if much of society’s hatred for themselves is actually a despising of the projection they are creating. To relax and be truly and honestly yourself fits like a glove. It’s easy, there’s joy and there tends to be a quiet confidence that settles within. This sense of rest is a stark contrast to being concerned about how you are perceived by others. It’s sustainable and attractive. We have to learn to love who God created us to be and rest in that.