Do Not Give Up: Scott’s Story of Faithfulness When No One Was Watching

Scott never stood on stage. He was not the guy with the mic or the spotlight. Most people at church barely knew his name. But for over five years, he arrived early every Sunday to unlock the doors, brew coffee, clean bathrooms, and fold bulletins.

No applause. No spotlight. Just quiet faithfulness in the early morning.

At first, he served with energy and joy. He believed in the mission of the church and wanted to support however he could. But over time, the thank-yous became less frequent. The appreciation faded. People came and went, but Scott remained, quietly faithful in the background.

There were days he wondered if it even mattered. Once, he cleaned up after an event that ran late and left the sanctuary a mess. No one stayed to help. He spent two hours resetting chairs and vacuuming alone. He drove home that night feeling invisible.

He never told anyone how often he thought about quitting. Not because he needed applause, but because he wondered if he was making any difference at all. He would pray, “God, if this is what You’ve called me to, please remind me that You see it.”

One morning, while folding bulletins in the hallway, he overheard a conversation between two new members. They said, “I don’t know who does all this, but it’s always so clean and welcoming here. It made it easier to come back.”

Scott smiled to himself. It was a small moment, but it felt like God whispering, “I see you.”

No one saw him clean that night, but God did.

The verse that kept coming back to him was Galatians 6:9. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” He taped it to the inside of his glovebox and read it every Sunday before serving.

Years passed, and Scott continued to serve. Still no stage, no spotlight, but something had shifted in him. He no longer served to be seen. He served because he knew God saw everything, even the work no one else noticed.

Eventually, the church grew and needed a facilities director. Scott was offered the job. It came with a paycheck, a team to manage, and a seat at leadership meetings. But more importantly, it came with confirmation that all his unseen faithfulness had not been forgotten.

In one of his first meetings, the pastor said, “There’s a reason we’re stable today. It’s because people like Scott refused to give up.”

Scott didn’t cry often, but he felt his throat tighten. He realized the harvest did not always come the way you expect, but it always comes when you keep going.

Now, when someone new asks him how to serve well, he says this: “Show up. Stay humble. Keep doing good. Even when it feels small. Especially when it feels small. Do not give up. God sees it all.”

What keeps you going when no one notices your effort?

• Knowing God sees it
• A sense of calling
• Encouragement from others
• Remembering it’s not about me