I grew up on the tough streets of Boston, never really knowing where I fit in. Something inside of me always felt different, but I couldn’t quite figure out what it was. So, like most people around me, I learned to adapt. I told myself, “If everyone else is doing it, it must be right.” But deep down, I was trying to survive by pretending.
I searched for myself in people, places, and things, hoping someone or something could tell me who I was. But every time, I ended up right back where I started… with me. And the more I tried to fit in, the more I realized I was losing pieces of who I truly was. I wasn’t becoming more accepted, I was becoming more invisible.
Not invisible in the sense of disappearing physically, but emotionally and spiritually. People couldn’t see me, the real me. Or maybe… they refused to.
I spent a lot of time at the Boys and Girls Club and the local library. Books became my escape. I read hundreds of them, hoping the words on the pages would somehow explain me to me. I wanted to know where I came from, who I was, and what I was supposed to become.
Somewhere along the way, I made a promise to myself: Give your best in everything you do. I didn’t always succeed, but I tried.
Why am I telling you all this? Because you need to hear this truth:
Not everyone is meant to see you. Not everyone will understand you. And not everyone can walk in your shoes.
But that’s okay. God didn’t make your shoes for them. He made them for you.
You can admire others. You can learn from them. You can even be inspired by their journey.But don’t ever trade your identity just to fit into their story.
Because when you try to squeeze yourself into someone else’s box, you lose the shape of who God created you to be.
Your assignment? It’s yours alone. No one else can do what God called you to do.
Think about David. When he went to fight Goliath, King Saul tried to give him his royal armor. But David said, “I can’t wear this. It doesn’t fit.”1 Samuel 17:39. Instead, he picked up five smooth stones and a slingshot, and the confidence that God was with him.
What worked for King Saul couldn’t work for David. And what works for someone else might not be what God gave you.
Or look at Peter. He walked on water, not because he was superhuman, but because he had faith in Jesus. The moment he took his eyes off of Him, he started to sink. “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’” (Matthew 14:30).
Maybe that’s where you are. You started strong. You believed. But somewhere along the way, you looked around at your situation, and fear crept in. You started to sink. But here’s the good news: Jesus is still reaching for your hand.
And what about Saul, who became Paul? He had power, respect, and education. A Pharisee with Roman rights. He thought he was doing everything right… until Jesus stopped him on the road to Damascus and asked, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Acts 9:4
Saul was passionate, but he was fighting the wrong battle. He had knowledge, but not a relationship with Jesus.
One encounter with Jesus changed everything. His life. His mission. Even his name.
That same transformation is available to you. When you finally see yourself through the eyes of God, nothing stays the same.
Let me tell you plainly:
You are not invisible.
You are seen by the One who matters most, God.
You were never created to blend in.
You were always meant to shine.
Cinderella was considered invisible too; an outcast in her own home. But no one else could fit the glass slipper. Only she could.
Only you can walk in your shoes.
Only you can live out the story God wrote for your life.
Only you can unlock the door God designed specifically for you.
And as you walk that road, know this: God will provide. Maybe not all at once. Maybe not in the way you expect. But everything you need will be there when you arrive.
Sometimes, when God is preparing you, He’ll pull you away from everything and everyone. Not to punish you, but to grow you. That quiet place? That lonely season? That’s where He does His best work.
I learned that as an athlete. My greatest growth didn’t come during the games. It came during the hours I trained alone. Just me, the court, and the grind.
The same is true spiritually.
Time alone with God shapes your identity, sharpens your calling, and gives you strength for the assignment ahead.
Not everyone can go where God is taking you. And that’s okay. He’ll send the right people at the right time. But until then, trust Him. Obey Him. Stay close to Him.
You weren’t created to bring glory to yourself, but to bring glory to God. Every gift, every talent, every part of your story is for Him.
So open your eyes. The only person who can’t see your worth is you, because you haven’t been looking through the eyes of God.
You are more than a conqueror. You are chosen. You are loved. Now rise. Take your place. Your destiny is calling.
Pray With Me:
Father,
Thank You for seeing me even when I felt unseen. Thank You for calling me by name when I forgot who I was. Today, I surrender the masks, the fear, the comparison, and the doubt. I choose to walk in the shoes You gave me, no longer trying to fit in, but to live set apart. Help me to fix my eyes on Jesus, trust You fully, and follow You boldly. I am Yours. Use my life to bring You glory.
