A Hunger to Belong
OK, what the heck.........I felt the Spirit hit me with something to share tonight so i must share. For those of you who are new to the process of how these devo's come about, they aren't pre-planned. I sit down and if I got nothing, i don't write and force something, but if i feel the Spirit hit me with a topic, i write it down, so here it goes,
Last night on CSI Miami a woman was blindsided to find out that the man she had married was not at all who she thought he was. She thought he was some awesome guy with 2 grown children from a previous marriage. Later she finds out he is a scam artist and so are his kids, who aren't even his kids. All 3 of them are part of a scam thing where they find broken souls and become a part of thier life, gain acceptance and trust before robbing them blind. After she found this out she felt betrayed but mostly she felt stupid. She wondered how she didn't see it. She thought she was stupid. Her exact quote after it was all over with was that "all she wanted was a family"
She wanted something to belong to. How many of us can relate to that? We all can because it is a program in each of us to belong. Acceptance, at whatever level or group is important for us as individuals. The one's who say they don't need anyone or anything are the one's who are actually hurting the most on the inside. But really, be honest with your inner self and think, "who really likes to be alone?"
Now, how many of us have become a part of something that we wish we hadn't? You know what I mean. That group of friends that seemed so cool at first, so accepting, so free spirited and fun loving. Only to find out a few months later that you were being used because of something you had. Or only to find out that they didn't really like you anyway after they got to know you. This can also be true for joining an organization, getting a job, getting into a relationship with someone, etc.
We won't admit it but many of us drop our guard a little in order to become a part of a group. We become vulnerable and an easy target. We want so much to please others inorder that we may recieve some sort of "pleasing" in return. We throw away many of our convictions or lower our moral bar just a bit inorder to belong.
If this is you, don't drop your head and get down. Don't feel like you are stupid. It is an natural desire to be accepted and belong. Many of us will go to greater lengths than others to gain that acceptance. Many of us have a harder time making friends. Many of us have been burned and hurt before. Whats even worse is those people who have burned by these groups inside the fabric of christianity.
Remember, people are a poor example of Christianity. We Suck At It!!!!!!! We are like the broken mirror image of what Christ is. Don't let these groups affect your reflection though. Be strong and faithful in knowing who Christ is and always seek to be a part of that. He will never reject you nor forsake you. He is fully accepting to anyone. Remember to always treat others the way you want them to treat you. Don't base it on how they actually treat you. I know this is a hard concept to actually follow through on but if you remain steadfast in it you won't become like them.
If you've been burned before and are going through the pains of getting bit from making a poor decision of peers or a dating relationship........find some solice that you are just following your natural code of humanity to belong. Lessons learned on poor decisions will be great guidelines for the next set of peers of dating prospects. Your not stupid unless you keep sticking your hand back on the same stove that burned you time and time again.
Last night on CSI Miami a woman was blindsided to find out that the man she had married was not at all who she thought he was. She thought he was some awesome guy with 2 grown children from a previous marriage. Later she finds out he is a scam artist and so are his kids, who aren't even his kids. All 3 of them are part of a scam thing where they find broken souls and become a part of thier life, gain acceptance and trust before robbing them blind. After she found this out she felt betrayed but mostly she felt stupid. She wondered how she didn't see it. She thought she was stupid. Her exact quote after it was all over with was that "all she wanted was a family"
She wanted something to belong to. How many of us can relate to that? We all can because it is a program in each of us to belong. Acceptance, at whatever level or group is important for us as individuals. The one's who say they don't need anyone or anything are the one's who are actually hurting the most on the inside. But really, be honest with your inner self and think, "who really likes to be alone?"
Now, how many of us have become a part of something that we wish we hadn't? You know what I mean. That group of friends that seemed so cool at first, so accepting, so free spirited and fun loving. Only to find out a few months later that you were being used because of something you had. Or only to find out that they didn't really like you anyway after they got to know you. This can also be true for joining an organization, getting a job, getting into a relationship with someone, etc.
We won't admit it but many of us drop our guard a little in order to become a part of a group. We become vulnerable and an easy target. We want so much to please others inorder that we may recieve some sort of "pleasing" in return. We throw away many of our convictions or lower our moral bar just a bit inorder to belong.
If this is you, don't drop your head and get down. Don't feel like you are stupid. It is an natural desire to be accepted and belong. Many of us will go to greater lengths than others to gain that acceptance. Many of us have a harder time making friends. Many of us have been burned and hurt before. Whats even worse is those people who have burned by these groups inside the fabric of christianity.
Remember, people are a poor example of Christianity. We Suck At It!!!!!!! We are like the broken mirror image of what Christ is. Don't let these groups affect your reflection though. Be strong and faithful in knowing who Christ is and always seek to be a part of that. He will never reject you nor forsake you. He is fully accepting to anyone. Remember to always treat others the way you want them to treat you. Don't base it on how they actually treat you. I know this is a hard concept to actually follow through on but if you remain steadfast in it you won't become like them.
If you've been burned before and are going through the pains of getting bit from making a poor decision of peers or a dating relationship........find some solice that you are just following your natural code of humanity to belong. Lessons learned on poor decisions will be great guidelines for the next set of peers of dating prospects. Your not stupid unless you keep sticking your hand back on the same stove that burned you time and time again.