Have you ever wondered who is even on your side?
The waves of judgment may be crashing into you from one side, pushing you right into self doubt, and defensiveness, then when you gather the strength and courage to fight against the strong current, you are met with fingers pointing at you in judgment, sneering,
“How could she behave this way?”
“Doesn’t she know she has it all?”
Then the crashing waves change direction, sucking you beneath the walls of water, saltwater filling your nostrils and burning your throat. You gasp for air and you wonder how this caught you off guard. Where were the signs? Who could have stopped this pain from happening? What do I do now?
“Trust,” a voice whispers.
“Trust?” you reply.
“Trust who?
“The one who let me fall into this pit of despair and loneliness?”
Then you may tell that voice a story.
“I was once a carefree little girl. I would run and skip to the park, and blow bubbles with my sister. I would climb trees and scrape my knees and bike up and down the gravel roads that I grew up on. I would make friends without a worry about what they thought of me, and I would beg my mom for a doll for Christmas. My biggest worry was how soon I might see my best friend again.
“Then I grew up. My laugh was no longer ‘cute’ but annoying, and my body changed from a little girls to that of a young woman. You’d think this wouldnt’t change how much people liked me but it made all the difference. All of a sudden no matter what I tried to change about myself, no matter how many different hairstyles and makeup and clothing choices I tried, everyone seemed to just like the other girls better. Then worse, everyone seemed to really enjoy being around my sister instead of me. I walk through the halls at church and at school and I can hear the people’s murmurs as I pass. How am I supposed to be good enough for even one person to care enough to like me. “What can I do to make it happen?
“So tell me! How can I trust the one who let everyone in the world hate me just because I’m me?”
Then you hear a reply.
“I am the One who never leaves your side through it all.
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand” (Isaiah 41:10)
“The One who saw you in your mother’s womb, and formed your inward parts so tenderly and carefully.
“You made all the delicate inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb,”
“The One who watched as your mother used discouraging remarks about your sense of style. I was whispering, “I think you are beautiful My love, There is no flaw in you,”
“You are absolutely beautiful, my darling; there is no imperfection in you.” Song of songs 4:7
“The one who came to watch you walk on the stage to receive your honors at school, and gleamed a sparkle in His eye and clapped and said, “That is my daughter! I can’t stop thinking about her!”
“How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!” Psalms 139:17-18
The One who saw what that boy in high school did and caught your tears when he broke your heart.
“You keep track of all of my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.” Psalm 56:8
The One who decided death should never come between you and Him ever again. So He made the ultimate sacrifice one can ever make.
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.” 1 John 4:9
The one who is telling you over and over again, “Do not fear, you are never alone,”
“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
Trust the one who doesn’t judge you, but wants to save you.
“God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world but to save the world through Him,” John 3:17
Who loves you
“And this hope will not lead to disappointment. for we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:5
Who calls you by name
“But now, O Jacob, listen to the lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “do not be afraid for i have ransomed you. I hav called you by name; you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1”
Who gives you hope and a future
“For I know the plans I have fore you,” Says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
Who gives you purpose.
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart…” Jeremiah 1:5
