When You Feel Unseen

The Life-Giving Practice of Bringing Order from Chaos

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” — Hebrews 6:10

Some days it feels like you’re doing it all… and no one really notices.

You wake up before everyone else, pack the lunches, fold the laundry that no one thanked you for doing, restock the snacks, plan the meals, answer the emails, clock in, show up, log hours, push through.

You prepare the lesson plan, or the team meeting, or the client call—again.

You clean up after dinner while the conversation carries on somewhere else.

You reorder the groceries, the household inventory, or in your business or job, you double check the spreadsheet, run the numbers, and post the reel.

You remind your kids to take their vitamins. You bring a meal to someone.

You give. You show up. You serve. And some days, it feels like no one sees it.

Not your boss.

Not your clients.

Not your kids.

Not your friends.

Maybe not even your husband fully sees all you do.

And in that quiet ache, the enemy loves to whisper:

“Does any of this matter?”

“Would anyone even notice if you stopped trying so hard?”

“Why keep showing up when no one applauds you for the effort?”

But Scripture gives a different story.

“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work…” (Hebrews 6:10)

Not “He’ll try to remember.”

Not “He might notice if it’s big enough.”

But “He will not forget.”

Because to forget the faithfulness of His daughters would be unjust. And our God is never unjust.

This means that every late-night folding session, every unreciprocated kindness, every behind-the-scenes act of service, every faithful email or lesson or diaper change or conversation—you didn’t do it for nothing. You didn’t do it unseen.

He sees.

“You know when I sit down and when I rise up… you are acquainted with all my ways.” — Psalm 139:2–3

That means He saw the work presentation you labored over that got passed by.

He sees the daily quiet sacrifice of staying home with littles while the world told you your “real” value was somewhere else.

He sees the way you labor as a single woman, your duties not divided between you and a spouse, the mental load you carry over things your married friends let their husbands worry about.

He saw the way you kept showing up for your job or your family when you felt invisible or unthanked.

Jesus taught his disciples to pray in secret, for what is done in secret, from an obedient heart that longs for approval from God more than from man, is rewarded by God.

”But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:6

Our just God will not let you labor in vain, unnoticed and unrewarded. He sees all the ways you are doing the “ongoing ministry of bringing order out of chaos” as my friend Shelby says.

“Chaos is simply an invitation to cultivate life-giving order. I was created to bear God’s image by doing this very work of bringing life-giving order out of chaos. When everything feels like a sea of commotion, it doesn’t mean we’re failing at this intentional living thing—we’re simply being called to Image God by nurturing our disordered nests (our homes, businesses, ministry projects, etc.), just like He brooded over the chaotic deep. 🕊️”  [in Genesis 1]

Our God hovered over the waters of the deep and He created order from chaos when He created our world (Genesis 1:2). He loves when we reflect His image and mimic his character in creating order in our own spheres of influence, whether in our own hearts, bodies, relationships, homes, businesses, jobs, ministries, etc. He honors our work, no matter how unnoticed by others. He knows. And He does not forget.

Sister, if you are in Christ, then you’re not working to earn His approval—you already have it in Jesus. He is fully pleased with you. Now, it’s not a “I have to” to earn His love, but a “I get to” because you know He is already pleased with you. All the chaotic voices in your head about not being good enough or “if I do this, say this, wear this, accomplish this… I’ll be a little more lovable”, can be quieted. God fully sees and knows you. And in that vulnerability, He loves you. All of your work that flows from that approval is precious to Him. Ecclesiastes 9:7 is one of my favorite verses:

“Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do.” Eccl 9:7

I love it because it shows that all we do, even our eating and drinking, should flow from our approval in Christ. We can eat, drink, and work from a heart that KNOWS we are already approved. And we don’t need to make sure we’re seen and acknowledged in it, because our God remembers. Because that’s what a just God does.

So if no one claps today—if no one notices the effort you made, the way you carried someone else’s burden, the care you put into something small—you can rest in this: God does. And when you work for Him, nothing is ever wasted.

So when the applause doesn’t come, when the dishes pile up, the toddler cries, and your to do list seems to get longer despite your best efforts— Remember this:

He is the God who counts every hair on your head. Who tracks every tear, even the ones you wipe away before anyone sees. He is not blind to your labor. He is not deaf to your sighs.

You are not unseen.

Your faithfulness is being sown into eternal soil.

And one day, when the noise of this world fades away and we enjoy working with Jesus in the new heavens and new earth, you’ll see it clearly: None of it was forgotten. None of it was wasted. He saw it all—and He called it worship.

Footnotes: Read The Ongoing Ministry of Bringing Order Out of Chaos by Shelby Shepherd https://www.evergreenplanner.com/blogs/news/the-ongoing-ministry-of-bringing-order-out-of-chaos