How to Live an Abundant Life When You Feel Unseen and Overwhelmed

Audio By Carbonatix

Some days, I get triggered in small, ordinary moments. It happens when I spend time making dinner and then realize everyone ate a late lunch and no one is hungry. It also happens when I check in on everyone throughout the day. I ask how they are feeling, what they need, and whether they are okay. Then I notice that no one is really checking on me.

When those emotions rise, I am learning not to push them away or explain them too quickly. I pause and ask what is actually happening inside me. Most of the time, it takes me back to a little girl in an attic bedroom.

I was that little girl. I learned early how to be quiet and capable. I often felt separate from the rest of my family. I knew I was not biologically related to the man raising me, and I felt the distance in that relationship even though I did not have words for it. At the same time, I did not know where my biological father was or why he was not there. I just knew there was an absence, and I felt it deeply.

I learned how to watch for approval. I learned how to work hard enough to be noticed. I learned how to make myself useful and agreeable. I did not understand it at the time, but striving became a way to survive. That pattern did not disappear as I grew older.

It followed me into motherhood, into marriage, into ministry, and into the everyday work of caring for a home, a body, and a calling. Even now, years later, I feel it surface in those same ordinary moments. I will spend an hour preparing a thoughtful, nourishing meal, only to realize it is not needed. I will give my attention to everyone else throughout the day and quietly wonder why no one is giving attention back. Suddenly, the feeling of being unseen returns.

Somewhere along the way, I learned to connect being noticed with being valued. So when something I have done goes unnoticed, even something simple, it touches something old. Instead of letting Jesus or other people into that space, I pull back. I put up walls. They feel protective at first, but they never bring the peace I want. They create distance. Yet it is often in these moments, right in the middle of daily life, that God speaks gently to my heart. “I have so much more for you,” Jesus whispers. “I have abundance—and an abundant life.”

What is an Abundant Life?

Friend, abundance is not found in fixing every broken place in our story. Abundance grows from a heart that stays connected to God, even when life is still messy.

In the quiet hours of the morning, before the day begins moving fast and before I reach for my plans, I sit with this truth. It feels weighty and sacred.

For a long time, I believed peace would come once everything felt easier. I thought it would arrive when the people I love were settled, the house felt calm, the work felt organized, and my body cooperated. But when I look back at the generations before me, I see something else. 

I often write about The Greatest Generation (those who lived during WWII). They did not wait for life to feel simple. They leaned on faith and relied on community.

Whether you are caring for a family, stewarding your health, chasing a dream you once set aside, or trying to stay faithful where you are, there is a path toward flourishing. That path begins with connection, not control. First connection with Jesus. Then connection with people.

The Vine and the Branches

Jesus gives us language for this in John 15:5, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” When we remain connected to Jesus, fruit grows. We live in abundance for what He provides, and not what we strive for. Our connection to Jesus provides for us and sustains us. A life without deep roots eventually feels dry.

Why the Chaos Feels So Heavy Sometimes

Yet we forget to abide in Jesus. We also forget that our emotions serve a purpose. Those triggers? They point to unresolved pain we need to address. Friends, overwhelm is often tied to these older stories we carry. Yet when we hold those stories up to Jesus, we may see narratives that aren’t quite finished yet.

I have noticed that my stress increases when old wounds are stirred. Feeling unseen today relates to years of wanting to be noticed. When that happens, my instinct is to protect myself rather than invite God in. Those walls never lead to abundance. They only limit connection.

An Abundant Life is an Honest Life

An abundant life grows from honesty. It grows from understanding that past pain can shape present reactions. It grows from remembering that Jesus invites us to stay connected without striving. It grows when we lean in and remember that others carry wounds too, yet Jesus is there for each of us.

Three Anchors for an Abundant Heart

1. Choose Connection Over Accomplishment
It is easy to measure our days by what gets done. Love is what holds everything together.

Practical shift: When the day feels overwhelming, pause. Take time to be with Jesus, even if it’s just for five minutes. Also, look someone you love in the eyes. Choose a short conversation over pushing through another task. Work can wait. Relationships need attention.

2. Steward Your Body as Worship
Wellness is an act of care. Our bodies are entrusted to us for a reason. We often “feed” our emotions with food, sleep, or distraction. Instead, consider how you can honor the life you’ve been given by choosing rest, healthy meals, and joyful physical activity.

Practical shift: Choose one small act of care today. It might be a simple meal or a short walk. Let it be a reminder that your life matters, and God desires to bring abundance to your days.

3. Redraft Your Story with Fresh Mercy
It is never too late for renewal. Mercy meets us every morning. Pause and consider your triggers and wounds. Ask God to heal those broken places.

Practical shift: Write down one thing you’re thankful for in the day. Then ask God to stir up one dream you set aside. Ask God whether this season holds space for it. Many meaningful chapters are waiting to be written.

So if you feel unseen today, know this: abundance does not require a different life or a stronger version of you. It begins right where you are, in the middle of the questions, the interruptions, and the quiet ache to be noticed. Jesus is not asking you to strive harder or fix yourself first. 

Jesus is inviting you to stay connected, to bring your whole story to Him, and to trust that He is still at work. As you choose connection over control, honesty over hiding, and presence over performance, you may begin to notice that abundance is already growing. Not because everything is easy, but because you are no longer walking alone.

Going Deeper:

In my book, Walk It Out, I share how to step past the safety of a busy life—packed with family, friends, and service—and into the wild, fulfilling adventure of truly following God. If you are tired of feeling empty despite a full calendar, it’s time to stop focusing on your own plans and start walking out God’s specific mandates for you.

Get Your Copy of Walk It Out

Bridge the Gap Between “Then” and “Now” 

We often read the Bible and wonder, “Okay, but what does this mean for me today? How do I actually apply this to my marriage, my parenting, or my work?”

If you are ready to move from simply reading Scripture to truly walking it out, the Life Application Study Bible is the tool you need. It is the #1 selling study Bible for a reason: it doesn’t just explain the history; it explains the heart.

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