The Girl Next Door ☎︎: What You Need More Of When You Feel Less Than

Lonely, unwanted, rejected, unlovable. We've all experienced these emotions, sometimes all at once.

When you feel down, where do you turn? What do you tell yourself? What do you do to feel better?

The best response to feeling "less than" is by fighting for more of God and more of His people. He must increase, we must decrease (John 3:30).

More of God

When I'm in a funk, the first thing I want to do is put on sweatpants, curl up in a ball, sip coffee (caffeine will snap me out of it, right?) and watch Netflix. In those moments, reading God's Word sounds more like a chore than a relief.

"Less than" emotions cloud our judgement, create empty promises, and whisper convincing lies.

During these times, we must fight even harder for joy in the Lord:

"Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 1 Timothy 6:12"

It all comes down to what we believe (Heb. 11:1). Do we truly believe that God's Word offers a greater joy than Netflix (or any other form of escape)?

Set yourself up for success. Make Scripture accessible and inviting so that the next time you feel unloved (which will happen a lot this side of heaven), you can quickly turn your eyes away from yourself and onto the steadfast love of the Lord.

More of God's Thoughts

Please oh please, do NOT listen to yourself!

You are not what you feel. You are who God says you are: loved , cherished, redeemed, forgiven, wanted, important, delighted in.

You are these things not because you deserve it. These beautiful callings are sung over your life because Jesus Christ paid the penalty for your failures so that you can have a new identity in Him.

Man's thoughts about us hold very little weight to what the All-knowing God of the universe says about us.

More of God's People

People are more than likely the reason you feel rejected, unwanted, or alone. Why would we want more of them?

Surrounding ourselves with God's people can lift us out of the pit of self-pity.

Feeling unwanted or unloved is often a form of pride. We are absorbed with ourselves - what people think about us, how they treat us, and how we feel. Putting other's needs above our own helps us bear each other's burdens (Gal. 6:2). It reminds us that we are not alone.

Helping others find joy in Christ often brings us joy as well.

Catch up with an old friend, call a long distance family member, attend small group, get out of the house and open your eyes to the people around you at Starbucks or the grocery store.

God shows His love by giving us His Children to refresh our hurting hearts:

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

Let's resist the temptation to justify our negative emotions or sweep them under the rug. God wants to hear what's on our heart and soothe us with His promises. Our "less than" feelings may not go away immediately, but they can draw us closer to our Good Shepherd.

Feelings come and go. His Truth lasts forever.