We have this deep desire to be accepted, to be wanted and when we face rejection it hurts. It creates a void in us that never seems to heal and that only gets bigger the longer we live. We view life through this filter and it creates a wall around our hearts that can’t be penetrated because we never let people in for fear of getting hurt.

I want to share some wonderful news that God wants us, that He sent His Son Jesus to die for us so we can have eternal life. He wants to adopt us into His family and He promises to never leave us or forsake us. I can tell you from personal experience I had a hole in my heart that I could never fill. I spent years looking for things to fill this hole; I tried relationships, drinking, video games and many other forms of escape. I never felt complete or wanted until I met Jesus.

I always wanted to be wanted and found my identity in people, I believed the lies that I wasn’t good enough, smart enough and that no one would want me if they met the real me. I looked great on the outside, I smiled and laughed no one would know that on the inside I was broken and completely lost. I was fighting thoughts of depression, isolation and suicide. I know if I would have carried on this path I wouldn’t be alive today.

I found love Himself (Jesus) one day and that day changed my life. I finally feel wanted and I know that I am loved. I am still walking a journey of healing and learning to trust God but if I look back five years ago and see where I was and where I am now it gives my hope and faith for the future.

I know a lot of people who struggle with doubts that creep into your mind and try to steal your peace. I know people who feel the need to be wanted and the need to please people. That they face a daily battle in their mind about their identity and their self worth. It’s a battle that most people don’t see and won’t even realise it’s happening because we all look so well put together and seem to have the perfect life but guess what we don’t! It’s all for show and facebook, Instagram and Pinterest aren’t showing you the truth only the glory real of our lives. You don’t see people at 3am crying alone because they feel isolated and alone, you don’t see us trying on thousands of outfits just so we can follow the latest trends and stepping on the scales trying to have the perfect body for summer!

What I do each day is to renew my mind with God’s Word and meditate on the truths that I find hard to believe. I look at Gods Word and find my Truth in there, I’ve started to limit my time on social platforms as it doesn’t feed me peace but instead has me comparing myself to people and I end up thinking my life falls short of being perfectly put together. So I stand on the verse below and shift everything I do through this verse and it’s helping me sort out my mind and thought life.

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10 (Emphasis mine)

I’m learning that I have to put every thought, decision and action through this filter. If it steals my joy, kills my peace and destroys my faith In God I know exactly where it comes from! It comes from the enemy and I back track to where I had peace last, where I last felt like I was walking His will for my life. This is how I try to make all my decisions, if I have peace I run for it full speed, if I have doubts and it troubles my heart then I stop and take assessment of where I lost my peace and see what needs to change. I let God’s peace and love guide me and when I know deep down its right nothing will stop me from moving forward into Gods plan for me.

I can’t tell you how this has helped me over the years and how at the times where I’ve messed up and let the enemy steal my peace, I’ve followed my own desires and felt like God was miles away. I’ve stopped and assessed where I went wrong and I turn back to God and removed all things or thoughts from my head that aren’t from God and then I find peace. This isn’t to say that it’s easy and these thoughts don’t come back but this is where I have to say, “Stop” and refocus on God, renew my mind and start again. This is where you take your thought captive and focus on Gods Word and His promises for you, and every time you have to do this it gets easier and eventually it’s no longer a problem.

I know that this world wants to be wanted and liked by everyone around them but that’s not possible! I want to encourage you to look to Jesus because He wants you; He died for you and loves you beyond measure. I also want to leave you with some truths that have blessed me and I regularly meditate on so my heart understands that I am not what I used to be but I am what God says about me. These are also the scriptures I will speak over myself when the negative thoughts come and I’m fighting the battle of being wanted. When I’m scrolling through social platforms looking at things my heart longs for but don’t see happening anytime soon. I stop and shift my mind back to Gods Word and what He has promised me, that’s not to say I don’t still get emotional and face these problems but it’s getting easier each day.

I hope this has helped you and I want to encourage you that you are wanted and loved. God bless.

• I am a child of God. (Galatians 3:26)
• I am chosen. (Ephesians 1:4)
• I am known – God knew me before I was born. (Jeremiah 1:5)
• I am a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
• I am more than a conqueror. (Romans 3:37)
• I can endure all things though Christ. (Philippians 4:13)
• I have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)
• I will not be afraid because God is with me. (Isaiah 41:10)
• Nothing can separate me from God. (Romans 8:38-39)
• The joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10)
• The same power that raised Christ fro the dead lives in me. (Ephesians 1:19-20)
• Greater is He who is in me, that he who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)