21 Days of Prayer - PersevereSample

When You Feel Unseen

If you’re a busy-bee, I get it. I like being busy, but more than that, I like being productive. My name, Emily, even means “industrious.” It’s in my blood!

Growing up reading about Mary and Martha, I always sympathized with Martha’s willingness to serve. I found common ground with her desire to make preparations and to feel left behind when she was the only one working. If you are a worker bee like me, you understand the frustration of being the only one in the kitchen or doing a task while everyone else is just “sitting around.” This is precisely how Martha felt when Jesus came to visit. She was working, but her sister was “just sitting” at Jesus’s feet. How could she?!

I think Martha’s question to Jesus holds the insecurity that most overachievers bear: “Do you not care?” (Luke 10:40).

You see, Martha was working so hard to create a perfect environment for Jesus; I imagine her cleaning and cooking out of a desire to make an excellent experience for Jesus in her home. And when Jesus was with Mary, we can assume, based on her question to Jesus, that she felt unseen. She was doing so much work! Yet her sister, Mary, was receiving Jesus’s attention. Why didn’t He care? Why didn’t anyone care?

Jesus, in fact, did care a lot about Martha. John 11:5 says that “Jesus loved Martha” and her family, which must have been something she knew. Still, Martha felt unseen because she believed her works were going unseen. At this moment, Jesus makes a critical point that we all must strive to remember. In response to her question, Jesus first tells Martha that she’s “worried and distracted by many things” (Luke 10:41). This must have shocked Martha, as she probably thought she was just doing chores or trying to be a good host. Jesus continues, “Only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42).

Could it be that we sometimes feel unseen because what we desire other people to see is hidden? People see us. They see our character. But we want them to see more. We want them to see our success. We want them to see our possessions. We want them to congratulate, affirm, and praise us for our efforts, and when this doesn’t happen, we end up with the same gut-wrenching question as Martha: “Does anyone even care?”

The answer to that question is yes! Jesus and many other people care deeply about us; however, we have to understand that being with God is more important than doing things for Him. I agree that serving is important and pleases the Lord, but according to Jesus, only one thing is necessary: to sit at His feet and be with Him.

So, if you feel unseen today, I encourage and challenge you to take inventory of why that is. Do you feel unseen as a person, or do you feel like people don’t see the things you do? If it’s the latter, remember that it’s not your actions that catch God’s attention; it’s your heart. When you put down the broom, phone, laptop, paper, and reports long enough to sit with God and connect with Him, I guarantee you will not leave that time feeling unseen.

There are many things we can focus on, but let’s choose to focus on the one thing that matters and will never be taken away from us: being with Jesus.

Emily N. Green

Prayer Point: Where do you feel unseen? Pray that God will give you perspective and remind you that He sees you.