9 Bible Verses About Feeling Unappreciated
I recently went for a walk with a friend who confessed to Angry Cleaning. At the heart of the matter, she was angry because she felt unseen and unappreciated. Today, we’ll explore 9 Bible verses about feeling unappreciated.
Most of us face times when our work feels unseen, and others are not grateful.
When these times come, we can remind ourselves that we are working for Christ, and he sees us.
Let’s look at these Bible verses about feeling unappreciated. Then, we’ll return to the conversation about Angry Cleaning.
Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you find validation in the Lord.
9 Bible Verses About Feeling Unappreciated
Here are God’s words about serving others in humble ways.
Bible Verses About Feeling Unappreciated
1. Luke 19:17 ESV
And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities’.
God is asking you to serve him with your whole heart in hidden places.
Faithfulness grows in obscurity.
He is calling you to put your whole heart into teaching the Bible to three women at your kitchen table. He wants you to be faithful to write letters to your lonely grandma or lead your local scout group. One day, when the timing is right, you will see how this training ground prepared you.
God tests our faithfulness to do the hard and humble acts of service in quiet places. He tests us in places where very few people notice. Be faithful in the darkness, and God will bring you into the light of the world when the time is right.
2. Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
Anyone can launch into an exciting, new calling with a passionate heart. It takes grit and commitment to keep pursuing the calling when the frills have worn off and the calling feels like a monotonous daily grind.
Our motives are shaped in obscurity.
When no one applauds, we are faced with jarring questions.
Do you want to be applauded more than you want to be effective? Do you want to be famous more than you want to be influential?
3. 2 Corinthians 9:6
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
It can be tempting to give less than our whole hearts when it comes to embracing our callings.
Meanwhile, God’s Word reminds us that we reap what we sow. When we pour our whole hearts into the work of our hands, God is glorified. Our labor yields fruit.
This is not an incitement to avoid setting boundaries or push to the point of burnout. More accurately, we are reminded to pour our hearts into the work God places in front of us.
4. Galatians 6:7
Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.
Your daily work might feel obscure or insignificant. You might feel like you’re just trying to pay the bills.
Don’t lose sight of God’s calling. He has positioned you strategically, and your purpose is to love others. Ask him to fill your heart with his love for the people who cross your path today, and you will sow good spiritual seeds.
5. 2 Corinthians 9:10
He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.
God has promised to provide everything we need to follow him.
Are you doubting his provision today?
Turn to him and ask him to fill you with his power and presence. He wants to empower you to be fruitful, and he has promised to give you everything you need to serve him.
6. John 12:24
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Serving God can feel like dying to ourselves.
Jesus taught that those who follow him must pick up their crosses and die to themselves.
If your labor feels like it’s killing some part of you, talk to God about it. He might lead you in a different direction. More likely, he will show you that he is using the refining fire to burn off the parts of you that are not bringing him glory.
7. James 1:22
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Following Jesus includes more than just agreeing with God’s Truth; we need to actually obey him.
Are you obeying God’s Word?
Talk to him about his calling on your life, and he will direct you. He is calling you to do more than merely listen to his Word with good intentions; he is calling you to action. Have you followed him? He is waiting.
8. Luke 8:15
As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
In the parable of the seeds, Jesus referred to seeds that fell in good soil. These seeds represent people who hear God’s Word, hold onto it, and let it lead to fruit-bearing in their lives.
Has God’s Truth transformed your life in such a way that you are bearing good fruit in this world?
If not, commit to spending time in God’s Word. Ask God to transform your life with his Living Word.
9. Luke 6:38
Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.
When we give our lives away for the good of others and the glory of God, he blesses us.
Your labor might feel in vain today, but it is not. Continue to serving others for their good and God’s glory.
Every humble and hidden act of service matters.
~~~
Let’s now return to our conversation about Angry Cleaning as we apply these Bible verses about feeling unappreciated to our lives.
Applications of These Bible Verses About Feeling Unappreciated
I didn’t have to ask my friend for an explanation because I’ve Angry Cleaned more times than I can count. Unlike “Rage Cleaning,” in which we intentionally pour our frustration into the cleaning process, using our anger for good, Angry Cleaning is act of cleaning angrily, often because others are not helping us.
“I’m trying to catch myself when I start Angry Cleaning and ask the Lord to change my heart,” my friend confesses.
My heart fills with compassion toward my friend as she shares her battle with this resentful mentality. At the heart of the matter, she wants more help from her husband, but he rarely extends the help she desires.
She ends up taking on most of the household duties, and she has to fight to avoid becoming bitter about her circumstances. We talk about this as we stroll beneath the towering beech trees, and I try to encourage her. The conversation also prompts me to pay more attention to my own anger.
As I reflect on our conversation the day after our walk, I catch myself grumbling about the volume of dirty laundry our family produces every day. Later in the day, I catch myself complaining as I clean up the toys and blankets strewn throughout the living room.
Shifting From Anger to Peace and Joy
I don’t like the way resentment builds within me in these moments. I want to be the kind of woman who undertakes her daily work with a joyful heart, but I’m not sure how to make the shift.
Throughout the weeks following my friend’s admission to Angry Cleaning, I began discussing the concept with more of my friends to see if they could relate. My informal survey revealed that most people approach at least one daily task with anger, bitterness, self-pity, or resentment.
For some of us, it’s cleaning.
For others, it’s taking out the garbage, cooking all of the family’s meals, mowing the lawn, raking the leaves, or taking out the dog.
The Role of Comparison
Most of the time, we aren’t angry because we dislike the work. Instead, we feel like we’re doing more work than others, or we’re doing work that ought to belong to our family members or roommates.
We undertake these tasks angrily because we feel unappreciated and even used. As a result, bitterness takes root in our hearts.
It’s easy to succumb to resentment amid this work; however, our loving heavenly Father has a different invitation for us. He invites us to lean into his grace and let him replace resentment with joy as we undertake the tiresome work that fills our days.
I’ve been drawing near to God and asking him to transform my heart in this area, and I’ve discovered several life-changing insights that are helping me shift from grumbling to joy in this daily work. Let’s apply these Bible verses about feeling unappreciated to our lives by looking at these insights.
1. Overcome anger by spending time in the secret place.
Before I go to sleep at night, I often ask Jesus to search my heart and help me process any residual negative emotions from the day.
Sometimes, he shows me sadness, and I grieve in his presence. At other times, I notice fear, worry, or anxiety, and he helps me relinquish my fears and plant my feet on his truth. Occasionally, he reveals resentment or anger from a moment when I felt like a loved one didn’t care about me, see me, help me, or thank me.
When I recognize anger or resentment, I ask Jesus what he wants me to know about the situation. Sometimes, he shows me that I should have asked for help instead of embracing self-pity as I sought validation.
If he convicts me of a sinful attitude—such as self-pity—I confess it, repent, and ask him to change my heart. I then ask him to show me how he feels about the work that went unappreciated by others. Most of the time, he responds with a gentle impression that settles over me and draws me deeper into his love.
When others fail to thank us, help us, or acknowledge us, it hurts. It’s easy to allow bitterness to take root in our hearts. I’ve learned that the single most powerful way to resist bitterness is to meet with Jesus and let him affirm my work.
2. Move away from anger by remembering the One you are serving.
Before we had children, my husband and I traveled to Guatemala to stay with a family of international workers and share the love of Christ with the people of Guatemala. During that time, I often meditated on Jesus’ words: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40, NIV).
After returning home from Guatemala, I filled our home with photographs of indigenous Guatemalan children in colorful clothing. I didn’t want to forget God’s calling to share his love with “the least of these.” I hung the photos to remind myself that Jesus calls me to love others—especially those who are often marginalized and overlooked—wherever I go.
Shortly after Bekah, our first child, was born, I remember rocking her through the long hours of a sleepless night. A pale moon peered through the frosted windowpane and cast shadows on the wall, and my gaze fell upon a photo of one of the Guatemalan children.
I remembered our time in Guatemala, and in many ways, the work of ministering to “the least of these” on the mountainsides of that distant land felt far more important—more spiritual—than the work of motherhood. A pang of longing filled my heart. I longed to return to the people of Guatemala and continue doing God’s work.
Redefining “the Least of These”
As I sat with my longing, God imprinted the following words upon my heart: Your children are “the least of these.”
We only had one child at the time, but I knew God was showing me that my role as a mother—to Bekah and to the children who would come after her—was my ministry to “the least of these.” He was also showing me that whatever I do for my children, I do for Jesus.
Throughout the years since that moment, I’ve reminded myself of the truth God spoke to my heart hundreds of times. This truth changes the way I see the quiet and humble work that fills my days.
God uses this truth to help me imagine that I am directly serving Jesus when I care for my loved ones. For example, when my child won’t stop asking questions from the backseat of the car, I imagine I am Jesus’ mother, Mary. I remind myself to respond to my child the way I would respond if I were Mary, and he were young Jesus—asking 300 questions per day.
When a little one is awake all night with the stomach bug, when a child’s twisted ankle requires me to carry him a mile out of the woods, or when serving my husband feels difficult, I imagine I am directly tending to Jesus’ intimate needs.
Change the Way You See Others
Perhaps this sounds like an elementary idea, but I encourage you to give it a try. When you feel frustrated or annoyed by the people God has called you to love and serve, literally imagine you are serving Jesus. I’m not talking about a theoretical idea. Visualize Jesus chatting nonstop from the backseat of your car or throwing his wet towel on the bedroom floor. Visualize the expression of joy on his face when you offer kindness to him.
I’ve found that when I remember I’m serving Jesus, I’m more patient, compassionate, and kind. I’m also far less likely to embrace self-pitying thoughts.
Keep Reading Here
If these Bible verses about feeling unappreciated blessed you, I have a gift for you. Today’s post is actually a chapter from my latest book, Lean Into Grace. For the third insight to help you shift from Angry Cleaning to peace, download the remainder of this chapter right here today. It’s time to move away from anger and into peace and joy.
Calling All Parents and Grandparents!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
A Free Devotional to Help You Connect With God
If these Bible verses about feeling unappreciated blessed you, I have another gift for you. God is a good Father, and he wants us to experience his healing, deliverance, and replenishment. Most of us have learned that we cannot heal, deliver, or refresh ourselves; we need God to do this work within us. I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment. Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here! 
