Worth It

He was spurned and avoided by men, a man of suffering, knowing pain, Like one from whom you turn your face, spurned, and we held him in no esteem. – Isaiah 53:3 (NABRE) Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others, – Colossians 3:23 (ESV)

I’ve never handled being interrupted very well. Anyone else relate?

I usually get disproportionately annoyed whenever someone wants me to stop whatever work I’m doing and asks me to do something else. I always used to think it was because of my tenacity—I want to get one task checked off my list or finish my train of thought before starting something else. But while that is certainly part of it, and taking being interrupted with grace is certainly something I need to work on, I recently realized a deeper reason. Appreciation.

I want to feel appreciated for the work I choose to spend my time on and want to know people think it’s important and worthwhile. Not that it’s dispensable and I should be doing anything else. If we’re honest, at think most if not all of us can relate to that. Jesus certainly could.

In His visions to Saint Faustina, Jesus revealed which type of souls caused Him the most pain in the Garden of Gethsemane: lukewarm souls. In other words, souls who don’t care. Souls who don’t appreciate the sacrifice He was about to make for them.

But Jesus loves us all so much, He did it anyway. Regardless of whether we’ll accept it or not.

He traded glory for suffering. Honor for humiliation. Acceptance for rejection.

Appreciation for sacrificial love.

Jesus knows how it feels to be spurned. But He also shows us that resolve to do God’s work and follow His Will should be our reaction, not bitterness and resentment and self-degradation. He shows us how to remember that we don’t work to earn the praise of others.

Rather, all our work should be done for God alone. His smile alone makes everything worth it.

© Isabelle Wood 2025

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