Happy Sabbath friends! This week was my birthday, and while for some, a birthday may bring on excitement and happiness. For me, my birthday brings on anxiety, and in some cases, disappointment.

The reason I never really look at my birthday in a positive light is because every year it has shown me who my true friends are. I am grateful to God for showing me who is really there for me, and whose not, but it still hurts. It hurts because every year it’s always people I thought had my back, and who would be there for me when I needed someone most.

I am not here to complain, or seek pity, but to use my hardship and turn it into light. There may be some who are reading this right now, and have experienced disappointment with people in their life. People who you thought would always be there for you, but ended up letting you down in some way. I am here to tell you that you are not alone. This is something I struggle with, and honestly have been struggling with this week especially. It hurts when the people you care about most, don’t reciprocate the same care back.

I am here to tell you, and even myself as I write this, that there is someone out there who will never let you down. Who will always show up when you need someone most. Who will always reciprocate the same care and love that you wish to give, if not, more. The people in your life…they are human and they are going to let you down. As it may hurt, you can rest in the promise that there is someone who cares. There’s someone who wants to hear about the hardships you face. There’s someone who wants to celebrate your special moments with you.

You want to know who it is?

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.””
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31‬:‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The Lord your God is that someone.

The one thing that has got me through this week of anxiety about my birthday is not just the people in my life who have showed me that they care about me the same way I care for them, but also the promise that God loves me and wants to celebrate me. He wants to celebrate me, WITH me!

This message in scripture really spoke to me this week regarding the anxiety that I was/am facing:

“What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.”
‭‭James‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬-‭10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As much as it hurts being let down by the people we thought cared the most about us, this passage in scripture gives us tough love and shows us that our loyalty should be in the Lord. The world is going to constantly let us down, but our God will never leave us nor forsake us. Why are we stressing over the approval of the world, when we already have the Lord’s approval? Why am I consumed with anxiety because the world let me down? I should be grateful that my Heavenly Father showed me what I deserve to have in my life, and that is His love for me. They didn’t show up to celebrate you? I understand that hurts, but guess who already showed up? God showed up. Our Heavenly Father consistently shows up for us. When the world rejects, betrays, and/or lets us down when we need someone most, we already have someone waiting for us to give Him the time of day.

I’m sorry that those people, whoever they may have been to you in your life, let you down. But I am here to tell you that God sees you and He shows up for you! Turn to Him during this time and ask Him for His comfort to consume you. Stop seeking the approval from this world who has shown constantly how little it truly cares for you, and seek the approval of the One who constantly shows up, loves, and cares for you unconditionally.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭19‬-‭20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

HE IS WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE

“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?””
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

What can man do to me when God is my helper? What am I to fear, or be anxious about, when the Lord is my helper?

I struggle with anxiety and seeking the approval of others, and something God keeps constantly reminding me of is His overwhelming love that never fails. He keeps reminding me that I should not worry about the world’s approval, because this world is temporary. God and His love remains forever and always.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

I hope this message brought you the same comfort as it did I.

Amen.