I want to offer some encouragement for anyone who is feeling down. Whether you're feeling depressed, alone, purposeless, unloved, unattractive, bitter, left behind, forgotten, unworthy, ashamed, unlovable... Just know that God loves you. And as Phu said tonight, God has confidence in you.
God knew you and had a plan for you before you were born. He cares about you. He will never leave you or forsake you.
It's so easy to think God has abandoned us. It's easy to let ourselves get overwhelmed by the thought that we're alone and God has deserted us. That's honestly what we deserve. Every single one of us. We're all just rotten, sinful people. We live our lives trying to minimize our sin so we don't feel guilty about it, even when the Bible says it's just as bad to think a bad thought as it is to murder someone. We're selfish, self-righteous, prideful, ignorant people. We absolutely must be honest with ourselves and admit that we're all in the same boat. In God's eyes, even the most sinless person's heart is like a dirty old rag you just cleaned the toilet with.
It's only natural to feel that God has abandoned you and left you to fend for yourself. After all the sins you've committed? How could He stay? How could He have any confidence in you whatsoever? You don't even have confidence in yourself at this point.
We do not in any way deserve His love or His presence in our lives. But guess what? His love isn't like ours. It isn't based on circumstances or emotions or feelings. He loves us because He created us and chose from the very beginning to stick with us each individually no matter how hard we try to push Him way. He has already forgiven you of your sins before the words "I'm sorry" can pass through your lips.
He has not abandoned you.
He has not disowned you.
He has not forgotten you.
And He never will. He created you with a plan in mind. You are one of a kind. Your combination of gifts, talents and skills is unique and beautiful. YOU are beautiful.
I challenge you to sit still and think for a moment about how God sees you. As His most precious creation, the only thing He made in His image.
Do you believe that He believes in you?
