I Don't Fit in. I Don't Belong. I'm Alone.

A teenager sits alone in the cafeteria.
A single mother sobs in the darkness as her newborn finally falls asleep.
A college student tries not to turn to alcohol and drugs to cope.
A young man wonders if he will ever find a wife.
A young woman struggles with her self worth, as the world pressures her to look a certain way.
A child with dyslexia tries to understand why the other kids aren't struggling in class.
A husband and father collapses under the pressure of life as he opens one more bill.
A retired couple struggles to find new purpose in life.
A husband and wife try to revive their marriage after the last child moves out.

Maybe you identify with one of the above scenarios. You could probably add your story, your life station, along with your state of mind to that list and fit right in. I once heard someone say that each season of life brings new forms of joy. That may be true, but each season also brings new struggles. In the midst of these struggles we often believe some common lies:

- I don't fit in anywhere.
- I don't belong with anyone.
- I am all alone.
-I have no purpose.

These lies are often believed based on a distorted view of our self worth. We find our self worth in the things of the world, what we see on social media, and in what we watch. The problem in doing this is that we will never, ever, be able to measure up to the impossible standards the world keeps throwing at us. We must instead find our self worth in Jesus.

In Romans 12:4-5 Paul says,

"For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others."

God made each person unique, with special gifts, passions, and abilities that compliment other people in the body of Christ. The church is a place where each person has purpose no matter what stage of life they are in. The mother who is now an empty nester is a source of hope and encouragement to the mother of toddlers. The teenager who was bullied in grade school is looked up to by the elementary age child who might be going through the same thing. The father who has grown children can mentor the fathers who are trying to connect with their teenage sons and daughters. The college students can help one another fight the temptations of the world while the retired couple pours wisdom into them.

There is a place for friendship that feels like family. There is a place where no one is alone in their struggles. There is a place where every single person has a purpose. There is a place where your unique life experiences, whether pleasant or painful, can be used to make a difference.

That place is the church. You are not alone. God is with you, and He designed the church as a place for people like you to gather together, worship together, learn together, encourage each other, and love one another. If you don't have that church family in your life, it is time to start praying and looking for it. If you do have it already, don't isolate yourself from it. Let's follow what it says in Hebrews 10:25,

"Don’t stop meeting together with other believers, which some people have gotten into the habit of doing. Instead, encourage each other, especially as you see the day drawing near."

If you are struggling you aren't alone. Reach out to your church family. They are standing by, ready to help, listen, and love.

We are all in this together.

-Pastor Jordan Golden

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