Known & Cherished


“To be loved but not known is comforting but superficial. To be known and not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It is what we need more than anything.” ~Timothy Keller~

One of the most prevalent struggles our world faces today is feeling forgotten. Loneliness hides behind the masks of confidence people masquerade. Insignificance drives the need for attention, a dilemma only heightened by social media. Humans have an inherent longing to be known. 

We live in a grand world. A world of activity. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of chaotic news and rising stars. To feel small in comparison to those admired and cherished. We feel a need to assume a different identity, to better ourselves in order to gain attention… whether that be counting our accomplishments or conforming to the standards of society.  Social media, though good in many respects, has increased this dilemma. 

It seems to scream: If no one sees you, you’re forgotten. If no one “likes” you, you’re not loved. 

It has also established the (flawed) necessity for the world to know everything we’re doing… But if we were stripped of our social media accounts, if no one knew what we were doing or even who we were… what would life be like? How would humanity cope with this sudden “un”knowness?

We would be living Joseph’s life.  

These hypothetical questions point to a prevalent lie in our culture: if we’re not known by the world, we have no value. 

Yet, there are millions of forgotten people in our world. People isolated and hidden from society. The elderly, the mentally ill, dementia veterans, prisoners, refugees… people so often swept under the rug and forgotten. And then there are the hidden people. Mothers who slave all day, the nurses and doctors who work tirelessly to heal the sick… even people with no presence on social media. 

It’s easy for us to feel forgotten… but it’s just as easy to forget others. 

Who remembers us, then? Who remembers us when we’re wrapped in darkness, in loneliness… Who remembers us when we feel forgotten?

God. 

The beauty of God is that He’s different. Even when the world forgets we exist, God never does. He calls us by name, he remembers his promises, and out of this remembrance pours his love for us. His knowledge of the hidden, the isolated, the forgotten is truly a profound attribute of His. It’s this remembrance that starkly contrasts with the forgetful cycle of our society. 

God knows us. 

If we want to reflect God, we have to learn to remember. Remember, like we would want to be remembered. Love, like we would want to be loved. 

Only when the knowledge of God’s remembrance inhabits our hearts can we view others and ourselves with love. ❤️


Have you ever felt forgotten? Do you feel the way I do about the isolated, hidden, and forgotten people? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear them! Comment them down below. (:


8 responses to “Known & Cherished”

  1. Once again Abbi you have made my day!! I love this post! Even in my un-social media network of friends and people it is easy to forget that we are always known and never forgotten! Thank you so much! Keep on writing!

    • Thank you, Kylie! I’m so happy it resonated with you. (: You are never forgotten, regardless of your absence on social media! Blessings!

  2. I think we all feel insignificant at times. And it’s sad until we realize that no one is forgotten by God. When we reach out to Him to shine we reflect to others what we ourselves want and that is to feel seen and loved.

  3. 😉 This is such a good reminder for us all, thank you. I am impressed at the way you worded this post. *thumbs up* It’s powerful, and I’m glad you wrote it! <3

  4. WOW! What a great reminder. I needed this. Thank you Abbi so much for sharing about the goodness of God and the shallowness of this world. God sees and knows each one of us. He listens and helps us even when it feels like no one else will. And he loves YOU! 🙂

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