The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun
did not leave the tent.
Exodus 33:11

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READ: Exodus 24:9–18; Exodus 33:7–11

Have you ever had a season where you felt overlooked or unseen? Perhaps you were convinced you have something to offer at work, home, or church, but the opportunity to display your abilities hasn’t resented itself, or those around you don’t notice your contributions. How do you respond? Do you fight harder to be noticed? Do you just move on, hoping to find recognition elsewhere? Or do you stay put, hunker down, and wait for your time to shine?

The Bible doesn’t explicitly tell us what was happening in Joshua’s life during those early years in the desert. Scripture gives us clues—like telling us that he was Moses’ aide (Exodus 24:13); he was of the generation that crossed the Red Sea; and he fought the Amalekites (Exodus 17). But what exactly was Joshua doing all those years?

Exodus 33:11 gives us a glimpse when it says that Joshua “did not leave the tent”—meaning God’s Tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting—where God’s Spirit resided. During those many years of preparation, Joshua was watching and learning from Moses, the man who met with God face to face. Joshua would someday take Moses’ place as Israel’s leader, but during those years spent serving, unseen, in a tent, Joshua didn’t yet know this. Yet day by day, Joshua was learning the most valuable leadership lesson of all: to remain in the presence of God. These years were less about obscurity and more about dependency and obedience to God.

In her book Anonymous: The Unrecognized Riches of Uncelebrated Seasons of Your Life, author Alicia Britt Chole points out that 90 percent of Jesus’ life was spent hidden, unseen, and anonymous. She writes, “… with his life (and with ours), it is critical that we not mistake unseen for unimportant.”

Joshua, and even more so, Jesus, spent decades being unseen. Those years were not wasted; they were strategic in making them the people they would become. Similarly, when we find ourselves in a season—or decade—of “hiding,” we can choose to steward those hidden years well by remaining in God’s presence and choosing not to “leave the tent.”

A STORY OF THEN & NOW

No Longer Hidden | Matt R. | Willow North Shore

I was raised Catholic, but about 11 years ago, life took a hard turn. My dad walked out on our family. Then in 2018, my only sibling—my sister—was diagnosed with breast cancer. She passed away in 2021, and I fell into a dark, lonely place. I felt invisible and alone, weighed down by grief and doubt. Convinced God wasn’t really there, my faith unraveled.

In October 2020, I started dating my now-wife, Nicole. She was actively involved at Willow South Barrington, and her faith was deep. She gently encouraged me to come to church when I felt ready. Eventually, I attended a service with her, and I cried through the whole thing. It was nothing like the church I grew up in. I gave my life to Jesus and was later baptized in the lake there.

Even with that experience, I still struggled to feel connected. My wife and I served and joined a group, but something felt missing. Willow South Barrington was vibrant, but I didn’t feel seen, and I couldn’t find a volunteer role that felt right. Everything shifted when Nicole joined staff at Willow’s North Shore campus. The smaller community at North Shore just spoke to me. I found it easier to open up, and I found a spot to serve that I enjoy. Nicole and I found a group of people who truly care for one another; and I finally felt seen, known, and valued.

Today, I’m growing in faith alongside my wife, surrounded by honest, supportive friendships. Where I once felt pain, now I feel peace. Ephesians 6:10–18 reminds me that even in my darkest moments, God sees me—and now I stand stronger, equipped in His grace. I’ve gone from feeling unseen to being truly known and set free in Christ.

DID YOU KNOW?

In Exodus 33:11, we read, “God would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend.” The phrase, “face to face,” does not literally mean that Moses and God spoke face to face (just nine verses later, God hid Moses in the cleft of a rock as He passed by because no one can actually see His face and live). Instead, ”face to face” is an idiom that means Moses and God shared an intimate relationship. It signaled to the reader—and to us today—that God is a personal and present God.

A PRAYER

Father God, in our self-promoting, social media-oriented world, it can be hard to trust that unseen does not mean unimportant. During seasons when I feel hidden, help me to seek Your presence and become more of the person You intend me to be. Amen.

FOR REFLECTION

Reflect on a time when you felt hidden in obscurity or anonymity. How did God meet you “face to face” during that season?

What spiritual practices do you have in place, or should you consider adding, so you grow in intimacy with God?