A while back, I had this problem where I felt like I was being rejected. You know, like people didn’t really care about me and I felt left out of conversations or group activities. It was like I was there, but nobody seemed to notice. I first felt this way in high school, but when I found friends who were into the same stuff as me, things got better. Then it happened again when I started dating my boyfriend. I thought he was super sweet and caring, but when he was around certain people, he acted differently. I tried to brush it off since we were just dating, but after we got married, it was hard to ignore. I guess this kind of thing happens a lot because people are different, right? Imagine what it’s like when these two totally different worlds come together!
So, when I wanted to find answers to this problem I was dealing with, I started looking in the Bible. I figured, hey, if God made everything, then He’s gotta have the answers, right? I found this quote from Jesus that said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) It made me think that if He’s the Way, then He’s gotta know how to help me out with these issues. I mean, I’m pretty sure it was some bad vibes or something that’s been messing with me since I was a kid, so I knew I needed some divine help to get through it all. “The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10). Basically, the enemy stole my joy, confidence and even my ability to explore and write because we didn’t have good books to read at home back then. But with a relationship with Jesus, nothing is impossible now! I can pray boldly in Jesus’ name, and with His guidance through the Word and the Holy Spirit, everything starts to make sense. When I give my problems to Him and take the time to be patient and listen, God’s Word will show me the way, and I’ll find His answers, His plans, and His will.
So, how did God help me with my problem? Well, whenever I’m around people with different backgrounds or social status, I ask for His guidance and try to remember what the Bible teaches about dealing with others. I used to think I could just hang out with people I liked and ignore those I didn’t, but I eventually realized that not everyone’s going to like me, and that’s okay. So, I asked God to show me what to do, and He pointed me to this verse: “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Luke 6:27-28). At first, it was tough! I couldn’t believe that was how I was supposed to react. Then I began to apply it because I was desperate. When I’m with someone who didn’t like me at all, instead of avoiding them, I started praying for them.
And guess what? Things started to change! God stepped in and turned the situation around, showing me His favor. Praying for those who don’t like me is one way of doing good, just like Jesus said. And as I keep reading and following His Word every day, I can see the results and how God is always at work. Jesus even said, “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working” (John 5:17-18). How awesome is that?!
You know, it’s kinda funny how we usually wanna be all cold and unfriendly when we find out someone doesn’t like us. But Jesus was like, “Nah, just be nice to them and pray for them instead!” He wanted us to be cool with everyone, just like our Father in heaven is, ‘cause He keeps the sun shining and rain falling even for those who aren’t the nicest people. The more we get to know the Big Guy upstairs through Jesus, the easier it gets to be chill with everyone, even if they’re not our biggest fans.
It seems like when we look for confidence in ourselves, our loved ones, or our achievements, we don’t always find true happiness or peace. But, when we put our trust in Jesus and our heavenly Father, we can discover a deep sense of fulfillment, peace, joy, and love that’s hard to put into words. It’s a pretty amazing journey, isn’t it?