In Episode 25 of Unseen but Not Untold: Overcoming Covert Narcissistic Abuse, Dr. Christine C. Zacharia, MD, integrative covert narcissistic abuse recovery expert and board certified endocrinologist, explores what it truly means to rise into leadership as one of God’s chosen ones after covert narcissistic abuse.
Throughout the episode, Dr. Zacharia presents leadership in Christ not as personal elevation, status or recognition but as divine stewardship rooted in surrender, obedience and alignment with God.
Instead, she explains that true leadership under God requires the full integration of the gifts, experiences and refinement God has placed within an individual’s life.
From the outset, Dr. Zacharia emphasizes that any authority carried by God’s chosen ones is entrusted rather than self-generated.
“Any authority you carry is not your own. It flows from Him.”
Leadership, she explains, is sacred responsibility rather than personal ownership.
Leadership in Christ as Service and Stewardship
One of the central themes woven throughout the episode is that leadership in Christ fundamentally differs from worldly models of power, domination and self-exaltation.
“Because being a leader in Christ is not about power. It is not about glory. And it is not about personal honor.”
Instead, Dr. Zacharia frames leadership as service, stewardship and guidance carried under God’s authority.
“It is about carrying people with care through places they do not yet have the capacity to navigate on their own.”
Using the imagery of a shepherd, she explains that spiritual leadership involves protection, discernment and responsibility for those entrusted into one’s care.
She repeatedly reinforces that leadership in Christ requires endurance, humility and unwavering alignment with God even in seasons where clarity remains incomplete.
“It will require you to move with boldness, even when clarity is incomplete.”
Jesus Christ as the Ultimate Model of Leadership
Dr. Zacharia highlights Jesus as the greatest example of righteous leadership.
“As a leader in Christ, there is no greater example to follow than Jesus.”
Throughout the episode, she examines how Christ modeled leadership through humility, service, truth and obedience to God.
“True leadership is not rooted in domination or control. It is rooted in obedience to the Father and unwavering devotion to truth.”
She highlights Jesus' compassion toward the overlooked and marginalized while simultaneously refusing to compromise truth.
“He washed feet. He healed the broken. He taught those who were overlooked and dismissed.”
At the same time, she notes that Jesus consistently redirected glory back to God rather than elevating Himself.
Dr. Zacharia also emphasizes that Jesus' leadership disrupted cultural norms and systems around Him. For this reason and more, Jesus was misunderstood, resisted and persecuted despite carrying divine truth.
“He experienced rejection. Misunderstanding. Opposition. Suffering.”
This pattern, she explains, continues for those called into leadership under God today.
"God does not call leaders who are comfortable blending in. He calls those who are willing to stand apart. Those who carry a perspective, a conviction and a level of obedience that makes room for true transformation."
God Does Not Call the Prepared, He Prepares Them in the Calling
A defining spiritual principle throughout the episode is the truth that God prepares individuals through the calling itself rather than the other way around.
“Jesus did not call the prepared. He prepared those He called.”
Dr. Zacharia explains that Jesus intentionally chose individuals who were overlooked, underestimated and even scorned by society - such as Matthew the tax collector.
This theme expands into a message God asked Dr. Zacharia to share with the audience verbatim:
“I do not call the prepared, I prepare them in the calling.”
Dr. Zacharia shares that this principle deeply reflects her own journey after covert narcissistic abuse.
“When I reflect on my own journey to get here, it still leaves me in a state of awe.”
She explains that her purpose did not emerge from certainty or clarity, but from devastation, isolation and spiritual refinement.
“None of this started from a place of clarity. It all started in the devastation of covert narcissistic abuse.”
Covert Narcissistic Abuse as Refinement and Spiritual Transformation
“God met me in the depths of my pain and isolation.”
Rather than allowing the abuse to destroy her purpose, she explains that God transformed it into spiritual strength, discernment and leadership.
“He revealed a pathway to transform it.”
She describes her relationship with God prior to this transformation as surface-level compared to the profound spiritual connection that later developed.
“I believed in Him, but I did not know Him in the way I do now.”
The episode discusses healing from covert narcissistic abuse as part of the larger process of spiritual awakening, restoration and preparation for Christ centered leadership.
“This podcast is not just content. It is a living testimony of God’s work in me.”
Integration Beyond Traditional Frameworks
One of the most distinctive themes in the episode is Dr. Zacharia’s discussion of integrating multiple dimensions of her life experience into her God-given purpose.
“My background in philosophy… my exposure to chakras and yoga within a South Asian household… my foundation in endocrinology as a physician… all of it has been woven intentionally into the work I do today.”
She openly acknowledges resistance and criticism from both traditional Christian frameworks and conventional psychological models.
" And yes—there has been opposition. There has been resistance to the integration of these perspectives because they don’t fit neatly within traditional Christian frameworks. There has also been pushback from conventional psychological models that attempt to confine covert narcissistic abuse to a personality disorder—offering a label for something that is, in reality, far more complex. It is spiritual warfare."
And here is the truth in all of this:
"God does not—and has never—operated within man-made boxes. In fact, He specializes in creating something out of nothing. The very existence of our universe is evidence of that."
Dr. Zacharia explains that God often works beyond human systems, categories and institutional boundaries.
Rather than viewing unconventional paths or experiences as disqualifications, she presents them as intentional components of divine assignment and leadership.
“Nothing you have lived through is coincidence. Nothing was without purpose."
In 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT) Paul reinforces this truth:
"So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”
Breaking Molds Rather Than Conforming
A recurring message throughout the episode is that God’s chosen ones are called forward as leaders because they do not fit conventional molds.
Rather than conformity, Dr. Zacharia explains that leaders in Christ are called to challenge existing systems and bring transformative change.
She encourages listeners not to mistake their divergence, uniqueness or unconventional perspectives as weaknesses.
“That divergence is not your weakness. It is your divine design.”
“And yes, you will be met with resistance. There will be voices that attempt to minimize what God is building through you—and those voices often become louder in the wilderness season that follows healing from covert narcissistic abuse. But that wilderness is not abandonment. It is refinement. It is formation."
Leadership, Boundaries and Discernment
A major section of the episode focuses on how survivors must redefine service and leadership after enduring something as painful as covert narcissistic abuse.
“Yes, you are still called to be of service—but not in the same way that leads to self-exploitation.”
Dr. Zacharia explains that survivors emerge from covert narcissistic abuse with firsthand understanding of manipulation, emotional exploitation and the misuse of empathy.
“That experience changes how you move forward.”
Leadership in Christ, she explains, does not require endless self-sacrifice, depletion or unlimited emotional accessibility.
“You are serving with discernment.”
Instead, survivors are called to establish boundaries and steward their energy wisely. They are reminded that time and emotional capacity are sacred resources entrusted by God.
“Your energy is not unlimited—it is one of your most sacred resources.”
She connects this directly to Jesus’ own ministry, emphasizing that Jesus Himself withdrew from crowds, rested and disengaged from environments rooted in distortion and hostility.
True service, she explains, is not self-destruction. It is stewardship under God’s guidance.
The Wilderness Season After Covert Narcissistic Abuse
“This is why the wilderness season that often follows healing from covert narcissistic abuse is so essential.”
Drawing parallels to Jesus entering the wilderness before His public ministry, Dr. Zacharia explains that survivors undergo seasons of surrender, dependence and spiritual restructuring before stepping fully into divine purpose as a season of preparation.
She explains that self-reliance is slowly dismantled within the wilderness season, not as punishment, but as refinement.
“It is where self-reliance is slowly stripped away.”
This process becomes especially difficult for survivors of covert narcissistic abuse because trauma creates a heightened need for control and predictability.
But unlike the covert narcissist, Dr. Zacharia emphasizes that God’s intentions are never manipulative or malevolent.
“God has no malevolent intention toward you.”
Even trial and tribulation, she explains, ultimately serves as preparation, restoration and alignment with their divine purpose.
“His plans are ultimately to prosper you.”
Faith Beyond Human Certainty
Throughout the episode, Dr. Zacharia examines biblical leaders who walked through uncertainty, fear and inadequacy while remaining obedient to God.
She discusses:
- Paul’s divine redirection in Acts.
- Moses’ insecurity regarding his speech impediment and emotional exhaustion from the weight of his leadership.
- Noah building the ark through faith alone without physical evidence of an impending storm ahead.
“What defined them was not perfection. It was obedience. It was faith.”
Dr. Zacharia explains that leadership in Christ requires faith that surpasses visible certainty or worldly logic.
2 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV) captures what it means to walk as God’s chosen one:
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
This faith, she explains, is essential for anyone called to lead under God’s authority.
“Faith is what carries you when sight fails you.”
The Symbolism of the Dove and the Honey Bee
Dr. Zacharia discusses two spiritual symbols God instructed her to explore in the episode: the dove and the honey bee.
The Dove
The dove symbolizes peace, surrender, divine alignment and steady trust in God.
“A dove is pure, innocent and unbothered by the turbulence of the world below.”
Referencing Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3:16–17, Dr. Zacharia explains that the dove also represents divine affirmation and alignment with God’s will.
“The dove represents a settledness in God.”
Rather than striving anxiously ahead of God’s timing, the dove reflects calm obedience and spiritual steadiness.
“This is not passivity. It is complete faith and trust.”
The Honey Bee
The honey bee symbolizes purposeful leadership, stewardship, discipline and collective contribution.
“A honey bee lives with intention.”
Dr. Zacharia explains that the bee operates not for itself alone, but for the flourishing of the entire hive.
“It contributes to the good of the whole hive.”
She frames the honey bee as symbolic of active obedience, disciplined service and leadership rooted in alignment rather than chaos or exhaustion.
Together, the dove and honey bee represent complementary dimensions of leadership under God:
- Stillness and surrender.
- Action and responsibility.
- Trust and discipline.
- Rest and purposeful movement.
“Both are necessary in the life of someone walking as God’s chosen one.”
Walking Forward as God’s Chosen One
Ultimately, the episode presents leadership in Christ as a life of surrender, discernment, stewardship and faith anchored fully in God rather than human validation or worldly systems.
“You are not here to conform. You are here to lead.”
Dr. Zacharia closes the episode with this final affirmation:
“What was meant to break you is being transformed into the very foundation of how you will lead, discern and serve.”
“And what God has begun in you—He is faithful to complete.”