I am in the middle of a small crisis. It seems like a crisis to me at least, probably not to anyone else, but I tend to get overly upset/annoyed with things. It's a bad habit, I know.
So let me outline my problem for you: (Not that you necessarily want to hear about my problem...haha but lucky you, you get to!)
So there's a group of people that I'm going to be doing a project with, and we can say that I am...less than happy with it. The group I mean. The people in the group aren't bad or mean or anything. In fact, they happen to be great people! The only problem is, I have tried on many occasions to get to know a few of them and I've been treated with...not as much friendliness as I would hope for. Like I go up and say hi in a very friendly way and they kind of just say hi and then avoid all additional eye contact with me-like I had "loser" tattooed on my forehead. I mean, that might be a slight exaggeration, but the basic message is that they absolutely made no effort to make me feel comfortable. I really did try to connect with these individuals many times because I didn't want to go away thinking I didn't try hard enough to be friendly or "win their friendship". (Not that winning friendships is necessarily the right thing to do or whatever, that's just the expression I chose to use for lack of a better one.) In essence, I felt very uncomfortable talking to them whenever I did.
What is my point in telling you all this? Haha I'm not really sure yet but it'll come eventually.
and we wait
and we wait
Okay now I think I have something. I actually had this before in my brain somewhere but I lost it in the abyss. I like to call my brain the abyss because...well I just do.
So this is what I'm thinking: What do you do when people don't like you? I've struggled with this for as long as I can remember and I'm just coming to a few realizations about it. I came up with a few verses and points that i'm going to outline and comment on to kindof explain it.
2 Corinthians 12:19 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
God's grace should be sufficient for us. We don't need affirmation from friends.1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
God gets it. He has had more rejection than probably any of us. He totally cares for us and He can be the best friend that we wish someone else would be, and we don't have to be anxious about who likes us and who doesn't, because He will always like us.
Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
All of our needs are met in Christ and we can feel comfortable about ourselves because we have our identity in Jesus, not other people.
1. When you're having a bad day and you're tempted to feel that God is not good-God is good
2. When you feel ugly or fat-I am fearfully and wonderfully made
3. When you feel rejected-i am accepted in Christ
4. When you feel anxious-God can be trusted
5. When you feel like you can't handle a problem that you're facing-God's grace is enough for me
6. When you feel like you'll never be able to overcome a sinful habit-The cross of Christ is sufficient to conquer my sinful flesh
7. When you feel like your potential is limited by your past-my past does not have to control my future
8. When you feel like you don't know where to turn for help and advice-God's work is sufficient to lead me, teach me, and heal me
9. When you want to blame others for your responses-I am responsible before God for my behavior, responses, and choices.
10. When you don't understand a difficult situation-It is impossible to be godly without suffering
11. When you want things to go your way-It's not all about me, it's all about Him!
2. When you feel ugly or fat-I am fearfully and wonderfully made
3. When you feel rejected-i am accepted in Christ
4. When you feel anxious-God can be trusted
5. When you feel like you can't handle a problem that you're facing-God's grace is enough for me
6. When you feel like you'll never be able to overcome a sinful habit-The cross of Christ is sufficient to conquer my sinful flesh
7. When you feel like your potential is limited by your past-my past does not have to control my future
8. When you feel like you don't know where to turn for help and advice-God's work is sufficient to lead me, teach me, and heal me
9. When you want to blame others for your responses-I am responsible before God for my behavior, responses, and choices.
10. When you don't understand a difficult situation-It is impossible to be godly without suffering
11. When you want things to go your way-It's not all about me, it's all about Him!
These are points from the book Beautiful in God's Eyes by Elizabeth George that I posted about a few days ago. Not all of them apply to this exact topic but some of them do, and I wrote them all out because regardless of whether they fit this topic or not, they're very important things to remember. Write them out so you can remember them!
Read number 3 again. Now read number 10. Now read number 11. Do you see what I'm getting at here? It is totally a good feeling to be accepted and liked by everyone and I feel the urge to make friends with every single person I come in contact with. It doesn't always work though, does it. I think that God wants us to shine His light to everyone and that could just translate as being friendly to people and being genuine Christians who live out their faith. I don't think that God expects us to get along perfectly with everyone and yes, there will be some people who totally reject your attempts at friendship, but that doesn't mean you have to stop trying.
Which I feel like quite a bit actually. Okay that's enough from me for now...........
XO Charlotte
*a little behind-the-scenes...I almost always type ZO by accident. haha I guess my fingers like the Z better than the X*
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