I still remember the day I sat in a doctor’s office and heard the words that would change my life forever: You have Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. A rare, life-threatening connective tissue disorder with no cure. A condition that meant my body was fragile, my future uncertain, and my days—numbered in a way that none of us like to think about.
In the days and weeks that followed, I wrestled with fear. I felt invisible—like my pain, my questions, and my heartache were lost in a sea of medical terminology and statistics. I wondered if God saw me at all.
Maybe you know that feeling too. Maybe your hard season looks different—grief, chronic illness, caregiving, uncertainty—but the ache is the same. You wonder if God notices. You ask if He cares.
If that’s where you are today, friend, I want to remind you of this truth: You are seen, known, and deeply loved by your Heavenly Father.
God Sees You in Your Suffering
One of my favorite stories in Scripture is found in Genesis 16—the story of Hagar, a woman who felt discarded and forgotten. She was running, alone and afraid, when God met her in the wilderness and called her by name. Overwhelmed, she gave Him this name:
“You are the God who sees me.” (Genesis 16:13, NIV)
God sees you too. He sees every tear you’ve cried, every prayer you’ve whispered in the dark. He is not distant from your suffering. He is present, just as He was with Hagar.
You Are Fully Known
Psalm 139 paints a breathtaking picture of how intimately God knows us:
“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me… You are familiar with all my ways.” (Psalm 139:1, 3, NIV)
He knows your thoughts before you think them, your struggles before you voice them, and your fears before they surface. And yet, despite knowing everything about you, His love never wavers.
When I received my vEDS diagnosis, I struggled to believe that God truly understood what I was facing. But as I continued leaning into His Word, I saw that my suffering was not unknown to Him. Both fully human and fully divine, Jesus understood all my fears, pain, and sorrow. He was with me in every hard doctor’s appointment, every hospital stay, every moment of doubt. He is with you too.
You Are Deeply Loved
Sometimes, in the middle of hardship, it’s easy to question if God’s love is still holding us. But Scripture leaves no room for doubt:
“I pray that you… may have power… to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:17-18, NIV)
God’s love isn’t diminished by your suffering. In fact, it’s often in the hardest seasons that we experience His love most deeply. For me, this has looked like unexpected moments of peace when anxiety threatened to take over. It’s been the kindness of a friend, the grace for another hard day, the beauty of Scripture breathing hope into weary places.
How to Trust That God Sees You
- Stay in His Word – Let Scripture remind you daily of His nearness and faithfulness. (If you don’t know where to start, I have a resource to help: When You Feel Unseen: A Four-Week Devotional Bible Study).
- Pray Honestly – God isn’t afraid of your questions. Bring your doubts, fears, and struggles to Him. He welcomes them.
- Look for His Hand – Sometimes, we don’t recognize God’s presence until we intentionally look for it. Keep a gratitude journal, note His faithfulness, and remember His past provision.
- Surround Yourself with Encouragement – Hard seasons are not meant to be walked alone. Find a faith-filled community that will speak life into your journey.
Friend, if you are feeling unseen today, hold onto this: You are never beyond the gaze of your loving Father. He sees you. He knows you. He loves you. And He will never leave you.
If you’re longing for more encouragement and resources on being seen and known by God, visit our You Are Seen Resource Hub. You’ll find devotionals, playlists, and tools to help you rest in God’s love and presence. May it remind you that no matter how hard your season, you are not alone.
I’m rooting for you, always.
