The Attic

I’ve always enjoyed cleaning out spaces that haven’t been touched in a while and making them functional again. There is something satisfying about walking into a cluttered attic, sorting through the boxes, and finding things that have been there all along. Most things need to be trashed or donated, but every now and then you find something super valuable that has been forgotten about.

Our faith can often feel like an attic. We store away prayers, dreams, ideas, and even parts of our identity, thinking that they have been forgotten or lost. But God never forgets. What seems hidden, overlooked, and tucked away is still part of His plan, waiting for the right moment to be revealed to us and be put to use.

For example, in the beginning of the book of Luke, there is a prophetess named Anna. She was eighty-four years old, widowed for many years, and spent her life in the temple, worshiping, praying, and fasting day and night (Luke 2:36-37). To anyone watching, it may have seemed like a quiet, unnoticed life. But God had a plan.

At just the right moment, Anna saw Jesus when He was presented at the temple as a baby. All of her years of hidden faithfulness, prayer, and devotion to God in the unseen were finally revealed to serve God’s purpose. She immediately recognized Him and began to speak about Him to everyone who was waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem (Luke 2:38).

Sometimes I struggle with believing that the work and prayers I put in actually matter. It feels like my time and energy are just sitting there, unseen and unnoticed by God, like boxes collecting dust in the attic. However, Anna’s story reminds me that God sees our quiet devotion to Him and everything we do when no one is watching.

Like hidden treasures stored in an attic, the unseen work we do for Jesus is being preserved and prepared. Nothing is wasted in the kingdom. When the timing is right, God will bring it out, use it, and reveal its value just like He did with Anna.

I read a book once called God Can Make It Happen, and it was all about praying BIG prayers and having the faith to believe that God could answer them. While it is important to think big and dream boldly, I’m learning that it’s also about God’s timing (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Faithfulness isn’t just in the act of praying big or putting on a show for God and others; it’s in the waiting, trusting, and doing the right thing when no one is watching.

The Bigger Picture: Hidden faithfulness is never wasted. God sees it, preserves it, and will reveal it in His perfect timing.