In a world obsessed with platforms, applause, and public personalities

there is an urgent call for leaders who know the value of the hidden place. It is in the unseen and often uncelebrated spaces where God shapes vessels who can carry His presence with integrity.

Long before the spotlight ever reveals a leader, the Spirit has already done His most essential work in the shadows.

We live in a culture that measures influence by visibility, but Heaven measures influence by faithfulness.

There is a profound truth woven throughout Scripture: God forms His champions in secret before He uses them in public. The hidden place has always been God’s training ground for those He entrusts with spiritual authority, character, and legacy.

The Hidden Place: Where Roots Grow Deep

Cheshvan—the only month on the Hebrew calendar with no festivals—reminds us that not every season is filled with celebration. Some seasons are quiet, slow, and seemingly uneventful. Yet these are often the seasons where the deepest work of God takes place.

In the hidden place:

• Elijah heard the whisper of God that he missed in the whirlwind.
• David learned courage in caves before facing giants in the valley.
• Joseph grew in wisdom in a prison before governing in a palace.
• Jesus lived nearly thirty years in obscurity before three years of public ministry that changed the world.

We want the platform, but God wants to give us deeper roots. We look for progress, but God looks for our posture. We long for influence, but God longs for intimacy. Hiddenness is not a detour. It is an invitation.

It is where God refines motives, purifies desires, and develops the kind of leadership that cannot be corrupted by applause or destroyed by adversity.

The Secret Work That Shapes Public Legacy

The world rewards what is visible. Heaven rewards what is faithful. We do not leave a lasting legacy because of what people see us do on a stage. We leave a legacy because of the consistency of our walk with God when no one else was watching:

• The quiet prayers
• The tear-stained intercessions
• The small acts of obedience
• The battles fought in private
• The private “yes” that precedes every public breakthrough

These become the foundation for enduring impact. As Jesus taught, “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Hidden obedience always leads to visible legacy—not necessarily in earthly accolades, but in eternal fruit that remains.

Kislev: Rededication and the Rekindling of Light

In the month of Kislev, the Maccabees rededicated the Temple after it had been defiled. They did not wait for perfect conditions or abundant resources. They offered what little oil they had—and God multiplied it. Every generation needs a remnant that will rededicate the altars of authentic worship, cleanse the compromises, and rekindle the flame.

A life that carries the light of God into darkness is not one that is suddenly thrust into greatness; it is one that has been purified, refined, and surrendered in the hidden place.

Before our lives can shine with God’s light into the darkness, they must become temples dedicated to the glory of God alone.

Shining With the Light of Eternity

The legacy we leave must be measured not in temporary influence but in eternal significance. Too many leaders burn brightly for a moment but leave nothing that lasts beyond a generation.

A true legacy is not what we build for ourselves but…

• It is what we invest into others.
• It is what points beyond us to Christ.
• It is what continues after we are gone.
• It is what Heaven records long after earth forgets our name.

The apostle Paul lived with this resolve and focus: “I do not run aimlessly.” (1 Cor. 9:26) He lived and led by example with eternity etched on his heart.

We are not called to chase platforms. We are called to carry His presence.

We are not called to build personal kingdoms. We are called to advance His Kingdom.

We are not called to temporary impact. We are called to eternal legacy.

Leonard Ravenhill used to say and write to me, 'My dear brother Doug, Let others live on the raw or cutting edge…you and I should live on the edge of eternity.'

May we, too, run in such a way that our lives shine with the light of eternity.