Seen in Secret
God sees what is done in secret, and His gaze brings joy that outweighs all human applause.
Devotional Credit: eManna by Witness Lee
Photo Credit: Unsplash
In today’s devotional, Witness Lee brings us back to the heart of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6. He shows us that righteous deeds such as giving, praying, and fasting are not meant to be displayed for others to applaud. The flesh naturally longs for recognition, but the children of God are called to live differently. We are invited into a hidden life with the Father, one that seeks only His pleasure and His presence.
Lee points out that the word “secret” is used repeatedly by Jesus in this passage. Our Father is in secret, and He sees in secret. This shifts our focus away from human approval and places it where it belongs, on the quiet and faithful gaze of our heavenly Father. To live before Him alone means our actions are not staged for men but offered sincerely in His presence. This life of hiddenness is not one of loss but of freedom. It frees us from the restless drive to impress and anchors us in the delight of our Father’s eyes.
This is not just about outward actions. It is about the motive of the heart. When we serve, give, or pray for the attention of people, we exchange the eternal reward of fellowship with God for the fleeting reward of human praise. But when we live in secret with the Father, every deed becomes an act of worship, and every hidden choice is seen and cherished by Him.
The devotional reminds us that this hidden life silences the flesh. When the drive for recognition is denied, the self-life weakens and loses its grip. In its place rises the abiding life of Christ, expressing itself through us not for the eyes of men, but for the smile of our Father. This is how kingdom people live, not as actors on a stage, but as beloved children walking quietly in their Father’s presence.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
My child, I see you. Even when others do not notice, I do. When you live for the eyes of men, you trade the richness of My fellowship for an empty moment of applause. But when you live before Me in secret, you discover the joy of My presence.
Do not measure your deeds by the recognition they bring, but by the love that flows from your union with Jesus. The self longs to be seen and praised, but I call you to rest in the truth that you are already fully known and fully loved. My Son taught you that your Father sees in secret. That promise is your freedom.
When you give without drawing attention, when you pray without performance, when you fast without display, you are living in My presence. I delight in those quiet moments. Nothing is wasted. Every hidden act done in trust is a seed that bears fruit in eternity.
Remember, you are not striving to earn My attention, for you already have it. You are My beloved, and I watch over you with joy. Walk before Me in simplicity, and let your life be an offering unseen by men but fully known in heaven.
Scripture References: Matthew 6:1-6, Matthew 6:16-18, Colossians 3:3, Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:6-11, John 14:23, Ephesians 1:6, Hebrews 4:13, 1 Thessalonians 2:4.
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine sending a gift anonymously to someone in need. No one knows it was you, and you receive no recognition. Yet you carry within your heart a quiet gladness because you know the joy it brought. In a similar way, when we live for the eyes of our Father alone, we discover that His unseen approval far outweighs human praise.
Today, I can respond to opportunities for kindness without drawing attention to myself. Whether it is encouraging someone, giving quietly, or serving unnoticed, I can rest and say, “Lord, I trust You to live Your life through me in this moment for the pleasure of the Father’s heart.”
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, I thank You that I am seen and loved by my heavenly Father. I rejoice that I do not need to strive for recognition, because I already have His gaze of delight. I rest in the freedom of living a hidden life with You, confident that every quiet deed done in love is treasured in heaven.