I Matter!
1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
June is the one month of the year where you see many people make big transitions in their lives. For students, it is usually the month of graduations, in which, they take the next step in their education or their careers, depending on whethey they are graduating from college or high school or elementary school. For couples, it is usually the month of marriages, where engaged couples take the leap into their life together. My parents for example got married in June. Some people take June as the start of the summer where they begin their first internships or missions trips outside of the nation, giving them a whole new perspective in life. June is just one of those months.
Due to this month being associated with so many of these events, recently on my Facebook newsfeed, I keep seeing pictures of graduating people, friends getting engaged, and others getting new jobs. And as I saw all of this, I began to think about how inadequate I am. I started to think of how useless and worthless my life has been to this point. For those of you who have yet to know me personally, I am twenty-three years old and still without a girlfriend (so no chance for marriage any time soon), still without direction for a career choice in life (so no chance in making something of a career any time soon), and still without accomplishing anything of real value. When I thought of myself in that light, truthfully, I began to become depressed, especially knowing that my readership on this blog, probably is little to none as well. I felt like I did not matter.
But interestingly enough, the Lord shared a great lesson from His Word for me today. It is our passage today above – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” What it got me to think about is how ungrateful I really am and how covetous I have been to have some other people’s lives, when the Lord has given me a great life already – one that is sitting in His will. Unlike many who are without jobs and still searching, I have a great internship at the NIH doing unprecedented research. Unlike many who are without close family ties, I have been given an encouraging family who has helped me. Unlike many who are walking their own paths in life, I have God leading my every direction. Unlike many people who have not yet been given the opportunity to lead someone to Christ, I was given that chance. And even when I think about not having many people read this blog, I am reminded that I am lucky enough to have the Lord speak to me personally every time I write this, so that I can grow in Him. I realized that I am not inadequate. I am not a Loser. I am not a person who has nothing going for him. But I am something great – I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I am being led by the one Person who knows the future and knows what would be best for me. HOw can I not give thanks? I mattered in the sight of God. I mattered!
Dear readers, I have no clue how you have been feeling lately, but if you are anxious about the future, if you feel inadequate and inconsequential, if you feel like you are not much, remember that you are placed in God’s will if you are living as His disciple and that He will work all circumstances for good to those who love Him. Take joy and comfort knowing that if you are sitting on the will of God, you are in the best place you can be.
becomingadisciple 
Honestly, I don’t know why you should feel worthless/useless, or that your life seems to have nothing going on. If not for the life you live that people see, then there probably would be tons more people who will be depressed. If it is any encouragement, I hope you realize the influence you have on others, take bernice for instance. you’re one person she looks up to, one she hoped she could be someday. you inspire her to excel in things she wants to do, and while her commitment to being a Christian is not yet there, because of your example, she is trying harder. I felt worthless/useless too especially in situations where the only thing i could help with is prayer, then i said to myself,” hey wait a minute. prayer is very powerful, and it could be the only thing that is needed, in fact, IT IS the ONLY thing.”. As a kid, I already knew I will be a doctor and nothing else, and that’s what I’ve become, my plans for the future just fell into place, but when I came here, I had to do something else, none of my plans seem to work out the way I would’ve wanted it to. Sometimes I feel like my education has gone to waste since I am not practicing it, but I can’t really complain to the Lord, since I was able to practice it for a good 10 years and what he has given me is not far from what education taught me. in fact, i was able to use it to my advantage. God has a plan for each one of us, we just have to let Him execute it, sometimes we have to wait, but always, He gives us what’s best. Hang in there, God is with you. I liked what you said about looking at what others have been/done with their lives. I guess I’m one person who is contented with what i have no matter how small it may seem to others, but yes, occasionally, in a split second i do say to myself i’ll have that one day. we do have those moments, the important thing is, we have a God we believe in, a God we can be depend on, a God who watches over us. God bless.