Overlooked Doesn't Mean Disqualified

Have you ever been in a room full of people and still felt invisible? Like your value was muted… your ideas although said, still went unheard…like your gifts left untouched?

I have. I’ve been in spaces where I was overlooked for opportunities that that I’m sure were made for me, yet there was an excuse or two about why something couldn’t be done to honor the word that they had given me.  In absence of their affirmation. I still showed up and served. I remained faithful. That still didn’t keep them from overlooking me.

Can I be honest with you, that’s a pretty lonely place to be. Knowing deep down on the inside that everything they need is within you, from the creativity to the management skills and yet it didn’t seem to be enough.

But being overlooked doesn’t mean you're unqualified.

I remember one specific job where I went above and beyond. I mentored new employees, I stayed late, I carried extra responsibilities that were beyond my pay grade and still, when it came time for a promotion—I was passed over. When management changed hands, I wasn’t even able to remain at my same pay. I was devastated. Not just because I didn’t get the position, but these people were playing in my face. It had me wondering why they couldn’t see the value that others could clearly see.

But here’s what I learned: The silence in that room wasn’t a dismissal—it was a divine redirection.

There was a reason that I wasn’t called to grow in that field at that time with those who were stewarding it. There was a reason that I needed to get up and go. I needed to do something different. I had become complacent in a place that didn’t value me or hear me. At the time, I didn’t know that it was God redirecting me. I just knew that when the notice came to not return that there had to be something better for me.

You see even Joseph was overlooked and misunderstood by those who stood around him. His own brothers had plotted to get rid of him, throwing him into a pit and then sending him into slavery. But God never took His hand off him. That’s what I want you to remember: Being unseen or unheard by people doesn’t mean you’re forgotten by God.

God sees every effort, every sacrifice, every moment you bit your tongue, stayed humble, and served with excellence. He’s not ignoring you. He’s preparing the perfect moment for you to shine.

Psalm 75:6-7 says, “For promotion comes neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he puts down one, and sets up another.”

If God is the One who promotes, then we don’t have to chase platforms. We just need to stay planted.

So what do you do when you feel unseen? Here are a few reminders I held close in that season:

1. Keep showing up with excellence, even when no one’s watching.

   God sees your consistency.

2. Stop shrinking in silent rooms.

   Silence isn’t always rejection—it can be space for reflection. Use it to grow.

3. Start documenting your journey.

   Journal it. Record voice notes. Let God use your quiet season to cultivate wisdom, content, and clarity.

4. Trust that God promotes in His timing.

   Delay is not denial. And being hidden isn’t punishment—it’s protection.

   
   

You’re not late. You’re just in development. And when it’s time, no one will be able to block what’s already yours.

If you’re in a silent room right now, I want to remind you: your voice still matters. You’re not forgotten. God’s timing is still perfect. He’s building something in you that can’t be shaken by who clapped or who didn’t.

Let this be your redefining moment—where you stop waiting for permission and start standing in your authority.

You’re not just a woman with potential. You are a woman with purpose. And your voice? It was made to be heard.

Now Available: Redefining HER: 5 Day Reset Workbook | Jessica Harris