“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” —Antoine de Saint-Exupery
The most valuable things in life will never be seen with the naked eye: love, friendship, hope, integrity, trust, compassion, faith, empathy.
These pursuits may be invisible, but they bring real substance, fulfillment, meaning, and joy to our lives.
Too often, unfortunately, we spend our time and energy chasing things that are visible: beautiful homes, fast cars, larger paychecks, more fashionable clothing, or newer technology.
We dream of a future that includes those visible items. We plot and plan to acquire them. We go to great lengths to care for them when we attain them and become jealous when others have more of them.
All the while, those visible things have never fully satisfied our soul or brought us the fulfillment they promised.
Instead:
- Their appeal dims.
- Their value decreases.
- Their appearance fades.
- And their satisfaction diminishes every day.
It is time to shift our focus. It is time to allow the invisible to triumph over the visible in our eyes, minds, and hearts.
But how do we do that? How do we learn to appreciate the invisible joys of life more?
Here are six ideas:
1. We make a decision to pursue the invisible.
Most changes in life are preceded by a simple decision. Decide today to assign more value to the invisible things of life.
This change in focus might happen by accident, but that’s rarely the case. Instead, we would all be wise to determine today in our hearts and say aloud, “I will make a conscious effort to value the invisible more than the visible.”
2. Offer room in our hearts and minds for the invisible.
Our actions are almost always determined by our heart’s desires and our mind’s thoughts. Make room in your heart for the invisible.
We can do this by slowing down and meditating (or praying) on these new desires: love, hope, compassion, and friendship. This practice is most helpful at the beginning of each day.
3. Bring the invisible into better focus.
Unfortunately, the old cliché is often true, “Out of sight, out of mind.”
Turn it around and use it to your advantage. What comes into your mind when you think about joy, hope, relationships, or significance? Post that photo or quote somewhere that you can see it each day and use it to remind you of its value. This will help keep the invisible visible in your mind.
4. Be wise to culture’s influence.
Most of the Western world’s culture and economy is built on humanity’s desire to acquire more and more things—even working to encourage that from the moment we are born. Consumption makes economies grow, governments flourish, and brings appeasement to the masses. Therefore, it is encouraged at every turn.
Become wise to the influence being placed on us both intentionally and unintentionally. As we do, we get better at recognizing false promises.
5. Look for the invisible more intently when you can’t see it.
One of the reasons physical possessions assume such an elevated priority in our lives is because their existence is never in doubt. We can see them and hold them. Whenever we feel lonely, our phones or televisions are there to provide a distraction. Whenever we get stressed, the mall is just down the street.
But the greatest joys in life are sometimes more difficult to see. We begin to doubt that we are loved, that our friends are real, or that compassion and faith even exist. Those aren’t things we can simply pull out of our pockets or turn on with a remote control.
But even when we can’t feel love, it exists. Even when we don’t see a path to hope, it’s there. Sometimes, we just need to look harder for it.
6. Pursue the invisible at all costs.
If the most valuable things in life are invisible, pursue them above everything else. Even if no one else is.
The best things in life are free… and often invisible. Let’s learn to appreciate them more and more.
Kay Mijangos says
At this moment, just having experienced Easter again, I am thinking of Easter metaphors. How to find the invisible: we wait by the Tomb with hope and faith. We hold fast in the darkness. We Look to the Easter light and stand still in it. To quote Paul McCartney, “Something Will Happen!!” Kay
Stephanie says
I am in the midst of the loneliest winter I‘ve felt in a long time for several reasons.
The commentary asks me to dig deeper and become more involved in life outside my home. I’m willingly to try.
Tatiana Amrita says
Joshua, I have been reading all posts on your blog for at least 5 years and I never comment. This is the most wonderful and inspiring post of all times! God bless you and all the work that you do!
Louisa Gomez says
Maybe some “commentators” have wisdom and understanding beyond your priorities 😇
Salisbury B says
I’m not trying to be negative here! But this article makes no sense. You say the invisible things like love, friendship, hope, integrity, trust, compassion, faith, empathy. But of course their opposites are also invisible – hate, hostility, untrustworthiness, etc.
You compare those with visible things like beautiful homes and fast cars, but all the things we really value are also visible! Our friends, our families, our beloved homes. It doesn’t make sense to compare “qualities” to “visible, physical things”. What you mean is just, choose bad things over good.
The articles on this site are increasingly becoming simplistic homilies, with commenters just blindly agreeing.
Louisa says
Maybe some “commentators” have wisdom and understanding beyond your comment 😇
Fur says
I’ve heard that 9% of existence (matter) is everything tangible, the other 91% is space. Obviously there is a lot going on in the invisible world. And when I’m gone I’ll be there too! Hope it’s fun. I plan on doing some xtreme flying!
Tywonna says
9% is matter/ visible and 91% is space… what happened to the invisible that we need to sustain life… you failed to mention it…
gienne says
Good grief. You ARE being negative, first of all. The article makes perfect sense. While the opposites of good invisible things exist, we are free to not CHOOSE those things. Perhaps if you re-read the article with an open mind you’ll understand it. Why would he suggest people choose bad things over good? That is simply nonsense.
Tywonna says
Well you are right in the fact that she left out the negative, but she is right in saying the invisible things are more important than the visible. Though there are negative invisible things we have to deal with, even though they come with the positive invisible things… the invisible is still so much more important than the visible. If you are spiritual at all, God will judge us on the invisible and if we are deemed to have a good heart and soul not the fastest car are biggest home lol but a good heart and soul we shall go to that better place and we won’t be taking all those visible possessions we have acquired. I loved the article… we are all human and nobody is perfect but any article is great if it makes you think.
Omaha says
Number 5 is the most interesting and the greatest challenge. How can one find that faith???
Judy says
Faith in God—-
Someone once told me —- you know, that you know, that you know…
Fur says
I find faith and love by hanging around with people who have the faith, who practice love. I am attracted to that, so I attract it more and more. It’s intention.
Kemuel says
Believe in your heart and confess with your lips that Jesus loves you and died for your sins and he’s risen. Romans10:10. That’s how you attain faith
Judy says
Joshua, beautiful…
Sandra Imperatore says
The physical realities you now see….
we’re silently growing invisibly
Tywonna says
Could you explain. I want to say this is a beautiful quote and it feels sad but I’m unsure of what it means…
Jo says
This is lovely. Thank you so much for lightening today’s burdens. I will be sharing your thoughts, if I may? (with credit, of course!)
God bless you.
🙏🏻🌻🌺
Sharon Aldrich says
I love this idea! I’m consciously starting today to Appreciate the Invisible Joys of Life!