You Belong…
Oh the heart pain of not belonging.
I remember during middle school being in a new group of peers, unsure where I belonged. I just wanted a good friend like I remembered from grade school. To my shame I hurt some to try and get in with others.
Wish I knew this then: “Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them.” (Luke 6:31 HCSB) Simple, that’s how Jesus kept it for us.
Then there’s this – we can do all we know and still be rejected. Family, friends, co-workers, church – sometimes it seems we’re all alone in this world. We’re not. Yes, you know I’m gonna say Jesus is always with us. What if we actually grasped this? How different would our days, moments look?
We want that peace that says when friends are too busy, grown children are preoccupied, no one at church says hello – we will still sing in our hearts.
Maybe the longing of belonging points us to our Father. What need would we have of drawing closer to God if our deep heart needs were satisfied here? David said it best “O God, You are my God, earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You, my body longs for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1 NIV)
This world is dry and weary – no water for a parched soul. Perhaps we can quench a thirst by fitting another in. Truth moment – do we allow all family, friends, co-workers, people at church to ‘belong’ with us? How often have I neglected a simple ‘hello, how are you’? How often do I let busyness or differences exclude someone?
Oh to have Christ’s eyes – to see the heart and not the outside. To take in, even in a simple gesture, a lonely heart. Just like He took ours and filled it with His Spirit. Wisdom here: “One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.” (Proverbs 11:24 NIV) I think Solomon wrote this not only about money or possessions, but about what really matters – our hearts.
In the end it comes to this: you belong to God. Imperfections and all – He longs for us – that is living water for thirsty hearts. Love these words:
Amen!
What a great reminder to draw closer and be filled with hope at the feet of our King!
I came over on the Purposeful Link Up.
Blessings,
Melanie (posting for Pam Blosser at Journeytohim.com.
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Melanie, yes His living water fills all our needs, soul deep – blessings as you share it…
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Such great insight here today. Pondering over both sides of the equation- my trying to belong to whom I choose and my willingness to others for them to belong to me.
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Gretchen, it is a moment by moment grace we have to give ourselves and others – and I sure can’t on my own. Thank goodness Jesus pours mercy and grace lavishly on us – and more love than we can imagine 🙂
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I substitute teach and our logo with banners all around one of the middle schools is “You Belong Here”. Love it and love your post.
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Substituting can be harder than every day I’m sure. May your presence spread the sweetness to those you are with that they belong to God. Blessings…
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