3 Truths to Remember When You Feel Like You're on Your Own
By Cindi McMenamin
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” – John 1:12 NASB
Do you ever feel like you are on your own, with no one to help, support, or even care about you?
I recently found myself believing the lie that I was alone and left to figure things out, provide for myself, and make all the loose ends come together.
I was worrying about bills I couldn’t pay. I was fretting about what might happen in a situation that I couldn’t control. I was stressing about the timing of a trip to see my Mom in spite of her failing health. Basically, I was forgetting who I really was and to Whom I belonged.
By worrying, fretting, and forgetting about who I was, I was not living like a loved, well-cared-for child of God. I was living like an orphan who was abandoned and alone.
When you and I begin trusting Christ alone for the forgiveness of our sin and for our eternal life, we become His adopted child. John 1:12 tell us that as many as received Him, He gave the power to become children of God. And Romans 8:14-17 assures us that we’ve been adopted and can now call God our Abba Daddy.
In a saving relationship with Jesus, we have a new identity that does not include the corruption or chaos of our past, or the problems in our present, or the fears of our future. Our past wounds don’t define us either. In our new role, God not only calls us His child, but He calls us forgiven (Colossians 1:14) and complete (Colossians 2:10), even though you might still feel like a work in progress. His Word also tells us we are secure in Him. Romans 8:31-34 tells us we are more than conquerors in Him, and Romans 8:1-2 tells us there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We are also told there is no possibility we will ever experience abandonment because He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
Furthermore, Ephesians 1 tells us we have an inheritance with Him both now and in heaven and Ephesians 2:6 tells us we are royalty—seated with Him in the heavenly places. And if that wasn’t enough, Romans 8:38-39 assures us we are unconditionally loved, and that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God—not death, not life, not circumstances, nor sin, nor our poor choices, nor a season of rebellion…nothing!
So, why do we stress and worry about what we can’t control? Are we thinking God has forgotten us? Are we thinking He won’t really be a good Father to His children? When you and I worry, we are saying to the world “I am on my own. I have no one to help me.” That’s what an orphan believes. When we trust in our heavenly Father we begin to live like His child—one who says “My Father is with me, and He will help me.”
Intersecting Faith & Life:
If you are trusting in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation, you are not an orphan who must worry, fret, or become anxious about your future. You are a loved child of the King, a prized possession of the Almighty God, one with a royal inheritance.
The next time you start to think and behave like an orphan, feeling you are abandoned and left to your own devices, remember these three things:
- Your God is with you. And you are never alone.
- Your God is for you, and you don’t need to be afraid.
- He has a reason why you are here and He doesn’t make mistakes.
The more you and I reaffirm who we are in Christ, and who God is in relation to us, the more our behavior will reflect our true identity—loved, well-cared-for children of a gracious heavenly Father who only wants our best.
Matthew 7:11 tells us “So if you, despite being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
Further Reading:
Matthew 7:11
Romans 8:14-17
Philippians 4:6-7
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/shuang paul wang
Cindi McMenamin is a national speaker, Bible teacher, and award-winning writer who helps women and couples strengthen their relationship with God and others. She is the author of 17 books, including When Women Walk Alone (more than 160,000 copies sold), When God Sees Your Tears, When a Woman Overcomes Life’s Hurts, and When Couples Walk Together:31 Days to a Closer Connection, which she co-authored with her husband of 36 years. Her newest book, The New Loneliness: Nurturing Meaningful Connections When You Feel Isolated, is now available for pre-order on Amazon. For more on her speaking ministry, coaching services for writers, and books to strengthen your soul, marriage, and parenting, see her website: www.StrengthForTheSoul.com.
Check out fantastic resources on Faith, Family, and Fun at Crosswalk.com!
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