Every one of us has the ability to feel like an outcast in different circumstances, but how often do you find yourself in places where you constantly feel like you are on the outside looking in or are trying to forge a new path through uncharted, unfamiliar and unacceptable territory?
I have been trying to think over where I am in my life right now and get a life lesson from it.
I find that being single just has days that are so hard. Society seems to think that everyone needs to be a couple and then if you are a Christian and are part of the church, you find that the Church is geared so much towards family. How do singles fit in this? How do we break molds that shouldn't be there? How do we help teach people that every part of the body is important and God has a place? Does God even desire us to teach them anything and if so, what should our focus be on?
I believe that God is wanting me to step out this year and do things that are not comfortable to me or to others. With this, it requires me to feel VERY whole in the Lord. The reason I say this is because if I do not find my strength in God, the places that God is putting me can destroy me. People do not always see my heart to care right away. I want to make sure that my love for others is evident right away. So with that, I have to be stretched by God in order to let go of the pride I hang onto and reach out to others to make them comfortable despite how I am feeling.
I already feel defeated in some areas and am really wanting to know if I am putting myself right where God wants me or where I want me.
So far this year I have decided that I am going to break into the Mother's Group, the Adoption Class, the 55+ Group, and the Children's Group at my church.
The first outing I went on for the Mother's group went fine. There was not a lot of resistance, but then there was not a lot of interaction in the group. I still plan to continue integrating there as I love children, I want to be part of families and I feel that I have things they can learn and vice versa.
I went to the first Adoption Class and that one was hard. I am not sure if I need to go back to that one or if God wants me to focus elsewhere right now. I felt talked around, talked over, belittled, humiliated and corrected in the very first class.
I left the group feeling very defeated, crushed, misunderstood and overlooked.
I know that people have this certain standard of what they THINK is best for kids, but do people really take the time to lay down their prejudices to determine what God might be doing in all of this with all kinds of people?
By the time the meeting was over, I had a clear picture that they do not think that singles should adopt. That is a great conviction, but is that mandated by God? On top of that, without asking why people are in the group, how do you know how to minister to those in your care?
That was a hard experience and I tried to think of how God went about His life being single, perfect, poor, homely, etc. He lived a life that could have felt like an outcast, but look at those He touched. He did not make people feel isolated and alone and unworthy. From these thoughts, I asked God if that is what He is trying to show me? Am I to reach out to those that feel slighted and rejected by people and most of all the people in the church?
Living single in a couple world is for sure something that you have to see as a calling and embrace each day as something new and seek God for what that day is to look like. It is important to find people that can help fill you up, but they will fail you for certain. God is the only complete source in which we can look at to provide us fulfillment and purpose.
Think about what makes you feel like an outcast. Can you use that as a way to minister or teach others?
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Psalm 101:6
My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me.
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