Belong

How do you view other people? Do you view them with jealousy? Do you have a low self-esteem? Do you see others as different from you? Do you view yourself as unique? Are you looking to belong to a group?

As we look at others, we only see the superficial outside or projected person. We also see what we want to see. Our prejudices often blind us. We may be fearful of someone who is different. We can become paranoid, thinking everyone is against us, especially those who appear to have their lives in order.

Our minds can play tricks on us. If we allow those tricks to take hold, they can compound on themselves and cause us to spiral downward. We become more fearful, prejudiced, and paranoid. We may further isolate ourselves, withdrawing inward, listening to the voice in our head. Far too often, that voice is Satan telling us lies.

How do we combat such disillusionment? Our culture and modern medicine will tell us to seek psychiatric counseling. It is true that some need such help. On the other hand, many do not. Many need to hear the truth of Jesus, become part of His Body, and accept the counsel of the Holy Spirit. They need to know that God is all-powerful and will change their way of thinking.

We all are children of God, but not all of us belong to Him. That may sound confusing. We all have a choice to make. We are God’s children in that He has created each one of us. Yet we have the choice of belonging to Him or disassociating ourselves from Him. It is easy to walk away from God. We do that easily as we follow the world’s culture. We are lead astray one small step at a time. It happens without us even realizing it.

How do we keep from walking away from God? We must take an honest look at ourselves periodically. We must ask ourselves hard questions and be completely honest with ourselves. Then we must make the appropriate changes to return to God. This exercise includes relying on the Holy Spirit and His promptings. It takes making a conscious effort to make the change. We must spend quality time in prayer—both asking and listening. Our desire to belong to God and be part of the body of Christ must drive us. Once we have committed to that, we will realize we belong to a larger body (or group) and we have a responsibility to the entire body.

I pray we all take time to reflect on our lives. I pray we realize we are children of God. I pray each one of us will commit to being a productive part of the body of Christ. Give up your old ways. Reflect on your life. Choose to be a follower of Christ. Commit to Jesus. See the wonderful change He will make in your life.

1 Corinthians 12:12-14 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.