Underappreciated and Over It - Your Nightly Prayer
Underappreciated and Over It
Your Nightly Prayer for Jan. 30, 2025
by Keri Eichberger
TONIGHT’S SCRIPTURE
“The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” - Zephaniah 3:17
SOMETHING TO PONDER
“Not spaghetti again.” smirked my 6-year-old with a heavy eye-roll. And once again, my heart sank. Will I ever be able to make a meal that someone doesn’t complain about? My oldest is leaving for college in less than a year, and all he will likely remember his Mom preparing for dinner is frozen chicken nuggets and taco chips (what we call nachos). In response to my tendency to cave to criticism, my teenage daughter promised that someday she’ll make all kinds of different meals for her kids, “And if they don’t like it, Tough!” she says. Yea,h right, I thought. I said the same until I broke after years on end of wearing down from complaints about every single culinary adventure. From countless sights of gagging over any vegetable, loads of unique likes and dislikes, varying pickiness and aversions, and unrelenting stubbornness, not once, twice, but with five kids. Collectively beating me down to defeat one blow at a time. I feel like I work so hard—and I do—to offer healthy and tasty options, only to receive zero rewards or, worse, tears at times. Eighteen years on the parenting side of food prep takes a toll. And I’m pretty over it. Anyway, I’ve wisened up to know we should pick our battles as parents. Surely, someday, they’ll eat something other than pizza and nuggets. Oh well, it’s in God’s hands. I just know I’m tired of collapsing after kitchen clean-up each night, feeling overworked and underappreciated.
How about you? Do you ever feel underappreciated? Maybe today you felt this. It might not have been over the dinner entree you selected, but maybe you worked hard on a project, did a favor for a friend or family member, supported a colleague, or served someone. And the person or persons involved didn’t seem to notice or say thank you or possibly even complain about the lack of perfection from their perspective.
It hurts, doesn’t it? I know God has called me to love and serve where he has placed me. And I want so much to obediently follow his instructions and commands. You do, too, I bet. But how can we continue on in faithfulness when it seems those we serve are far from gracious, and we’re beaten down by blows of borderline disrespectful behavior?
Here’s what occurred to me when I posed this question to myself. I think we all need to remember who we are truly serving when we become bogged down with the weight of being underappreciated. God’s word reminds us how and who we are to work for, saying, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Colossians 3:23) Friend, it’s God we are serving when we serve others, so he’s the one we should consider when feeling deprived of appreciation. And here’s what I know about what he thinks of us, besides the fact that he loves us perfectly and unconditionally and bigger than we can fathom. Zephaniah 3:17 reminds us that he takes great delight in us. That he rejoices over us with singing. Maybe I ought to picture that when I cook up my next new dish. I’m smiling just imagining it.
What do you say? We both do that right now. Consider whatever it is that you feel underappreciated for. Remind yourself that this is work you have done and are doing for the Lord. And friend, is he ever so delighted with every ounce of your effort? He is proud of you for walking in obedience as he is of each of his children who follow his lead. Of course, our heavenly reward awaits us and will be infinitely amazing. But he also is singing over you at this very moment. With songs of love and rejoice. Smiling down, saying, You are more appreciated than you know. Well done, good and faithful servant.
YOUR NIGHTLY PRAYER
Heavenly Father, I love that you delight in me and my work for you. Though I don’t always remember that everything I do is in your name and for your glory alone, help me to remember. The world may not notice all my efforts, but I pray that this may not be of concern to me. Instead, give me confidence in the truth that you rejoice over every bit of my service. Thank you for your nonstop notice and appreciation of all I do from a servant’s heart who, above all, wants to honor and glorify you. In your generous Name, Amen.
THREE THINGS TO MEDITATE UPON
1. Do you struggle with a lack of appreciation from others?
2. Have you considered the truth that the work you are doing is really for the Lord and not people?
3. What area of service are you wrestling with today that you need to remember God is delighting over you?
Photo Credit: ©Pexels/Karolina Kaboompics
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