Hi friends! Today I am welcoming Olivia White to my little space on the internet so she can share a little piece of her world with all of you. I'd love for you to read and then leave a comment, welcoming Olivia today. At the beginning of sixth grade, I walked into a new church with new people–around five hundred new people. Compared to my small church from elementary school, it felt as if I’d been plucked out of my peaceful pond and dropped into a raging sea. With all this pressure added to the general difficulties of transitioning to middle school life, I was sinking from the start. Every week I saw dozens of teens who appeared to be blissfully ignorant of reality, safe and secure in their own little Christian bubbles of happiness and perfection, hanging out together on a regular basis. And me? I was an outsider, a misfit, a quirk in the system. I was the kid with mentally ill siblings. I was the kid who disliked volleyball and dodgeball and every kind of athletic activity. I was the kid who didn’t get invited to see the newest movie or come over to hang out, because nobody thought about the new girl. Between anxiety, depression, and the overwhelming weight of loneliness, I struggled with just being alive. I couldn’t chase the elusive concept of happiness or claim any reason for existence. Life felt meaningless, desperate, empty. Somehow, though, the struggle I faced was worthwhile. Those days and weeks and months were crucial as I grew to truly know God, to find my strength and hope and purpose in Him. If it weren’t for the pain I went through, I never would have learned the beauty of His love. God Loves Misfits The Samaritan adulteress. Tax collectors. Lepers. Gentiles. These are the ones that were despised, detested by His society; and yet Jesus reached out to them in compassion. He saw beyond their labels and offered them the solution to their real disease: He cleansed their sin. He guided them into His fold and made them a part of His flock. Even when I am rejected by friends, family, and society itself, I will never be rejected by God. No condescending glances, no footsteps passing me by, no voice telling me I am unworthy can ever undo what Christ has done. He calls to us, knows us, and makes us His own. And no one--no one--can take that away from us. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” John 10:27-28 Rejection Cuts Deep Rejection is one of the deepest cuts to a young person’s soul. It says we don’t measure up. It questions our worth. It leaves us lonely and longing for love and acceptance, while doubting anyone cares. Jesus is the solace for our weary souls. He isn’t merely a salve for our immediate emotional pain, but rather, He reaches our questioning hearts with the deepest answers, offering us the strongest solution to the pain we feel. Instead of patching up the leaks, He gives us a whole new foundation. He rebuilds us, joining together each broken piece with His own strength. We don’t have to measure up to the world’s standards. We don’t have to play the silly games and compare ourselves with others, desperately trying to be the most beautiful, the most witty, the most smart, the most loved. God’s desire for us is simple: Hear His voice. Know Him and be known. Follow Him with all your heart. This is the key to true peace and joy. It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way We know the promise of Jesus, and we eagerly await His return. But the hope of heaven doesn’t take away the sting of loneliness here on earth. We want to meet Jesus in the here and now. We want to truly see Him, to feel His embrace. We were made to be in direct fellowship with God. Even though His Spirit is within us, strengthening us and encouraging us, there is still a sense of waiting, a longing for something more. That “something more” is the culmination of all of God’s work throughout history. It’s when all the death and darkness of this world is put away and everything will be made new. When the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will personally wipe away every tear. Here on this cursed earth, life will always be scarred by sin and its side effects. We will face rejection and betrayal. We will be ignored and let down. The tears don’t just disappear–not yet, anyway. Still, we must believe and remember He will never leave us or forsake us. He isn’t physically present with us, but He sees every tear. He felt that pain for us. He loves us the same, and His promises remain true. He is always with us, fighting for us, watching over us. And through Him, we hold onto hope. God’s Opinion Matters We belong to the Good Shepherd. Apart from Him, outside of His flock, there is no hope, no life, no future. Only by His blood can we find our identity in Him. “And He will place the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Matthew 25:31-34 Ultimately, God’s acceptance is the only opinion that matters. He is the one who holds the key to the kingdom of eternal peace and joy, a kingdom whose citizenship is based on faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and a wholehearted devotion to Him. So we press on in the midst of our oceans. We journey through unfamiliar waters and turbulent seas with His Word as our guide, His promises our light. We trust in Him even as we fight against the pain and we long for Him even as we struggle to see His goodness. We remember all that He has done for us and hope in all that He will do. No matter how hard it gets, He is always with us. His acceptance is the only one that should matter to us, and it’s the one we will always have as His children. Rest in that comfort today. Rest in His love, His understanding, His grace. Even when the world rejects you, you are always welcome in His arms. Olivia Morgan White is a high school junior and a college freshman. In addition to writing regularly for The Rebelution, she dabbles in various genres, especially realistic fiction. You can find more of her writing at oliviamorganwhite.com or follow her on instagram @livimuffin_11
5 Comments
Rachel
10/11/2018 03:35:18 pm
This is absolutely beautiful Olivia!!
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Wadzanai
10/12/2018 09:20:50 pm
I really liked this article. I’m so sorry you went through depression, but I’m glad Jesus was there for you.
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10/17/2018 10:29:49 pm
This was so beautiful and encouraging, thank you so much for sharing your journey. ❤️❤️❤️
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11/5/2018 07:23:53 am
This is such a wonderful reminder and encouragement. Thank you Grace.
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Melony Kleton
4/28/2021 12:18:49 pm
LOVE SPELL TESTIMONY
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