Following Jesus can be lonely at times because you no longer fit into society.  You no longer enjoy the things the world says will satisfy you and they cannot understand why you won’t do certain things.  I’m 31 years old and in the world’s eyes am possibly the most boring human being to ever exist.  I bake on the weekends.  I don’t date or drink.  I don’t enjoy going to bars or spending my money at the movies.  I don’t look forward to Friday night parties or having to make the weekend count.  A lot of the elderly customers at my work have a bigger social life than me.

You know what?  That’s just fine with me.

I am choosing to live for Jesus and nobody has to understand my life.  They can’t understand and you know what else?  They don’t want to.

As a Christian we are to leave the world behind.  Letting go of the world means leaving people behind too, but He always provides the right people at just the right time.  It was during the time I was down and stressed about losing friends that God isolated me for the sole purpose to get me alone.  He removed people from my life because they were not destined for my future and in that time read His word.  I learned who He was and who I was in Him.  It was the most important relationship I would ever learn about.

The coolest thing happens as a Christian: I never look for the people God provides for me.  As we grow from glory to glory He brings someone new at each stage of the game.  We are on this journey running the race set before us and God provides for us along the way to encourage us and help us get to where we are meant to be.

The world assumes God cuts the fun out of everything and life with Him is boring.  I know because I used to believe the same thing.  The reason for that is the devil has sold them a lie and they are trapped in sin and love living in their filth.  They have rejected the real and true living God and as a result are settling for garbage wrapped in foil when He wants to give them a life of pure gold.  My life has not been boring one day in 5 years since I cried out to God: Yahweh who sent his son Yeshua.

The world says you must have X,Y,Z to be happy.

“FOR WE OURSELVES ALSO WERE SOMETIMES FOOLISH, DISOBEDIENT, DECEIVED, SERVING DIVERS LUSTS AND PLEASURES, LIVING IN MALICE AND ENVY, HATEFUL, AND HATING ONE ANOTHER.  BUT AFTER THAT THE KINDNESS AND LOVE OF GOD OUR SAVIOUR TOWARD MAN APPEARED,  NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS MERCY HE SAVED US, BY THE WASHING OF REGENERATION, AND RENEWING OF THE HOLY GHOST; WHICH HE SHED ON US ABUNDANTLY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR; THAT BEING JUSTIFIED BY HIS GRACE, WE SHOULD BE MADE HEIRS ACCORDING TO THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE.”
– TITUS 3:3-7

As a Christian we don’t get to map our our lives.  We have surrendered our control and let go of our plans.  We have no idea the plans God has for us, but we know that all things work out for our good (Romans 8:28).  Sometimes the road is scary and filled with obstacles and the unknown.  Sometimes it can feel like the car is going full speed down a mountain and God says,
“Let go of the steering wheel”.
“I’m sorry… What?”
“Let go.”

Logically, the scariest thing to do would be to let go while traveling at a high speed down a mountain, but to a Christian you never had control in the first place.  You handed control over and are just a passenger enjoying the ride.  You have surrendered to the Creator of the Universe who put order in everything.  It may not make sense to you, but He has made everything beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11).  People will call you insane for doing so because the world will tell you that you have control over your destiny.

They will say to set goals and do everything you can to achieve them.  If you fail you should only try harder and to not give up.

This isn’t our life anymore because we lost our life to find it.  We have died and Christ gave reign to Him.  This life isn’t about us.  It’s all about Him.  I know as a selfish nature we tend to think that the world revolves around us, but it actually doesn’t.  Sometimes, we are not where we are for our gain, but for the benefit of someone else.  Our only job is to be who God created us to be and do what God created us to do which is worship Him.  Whatever we do we are to do it as working for Him and not to men.

We are to let our light shine and our light is Jesus because He is the light of the world.  When we do that we attract others and find our brothers and sisters to love and encourage and they do the same for us.  They come out of nowhere and at the exact time and place we need them.

How can you find “your people” if you are too afraid to be yourself?  How can you be afraid to be yourself when you serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?  He says if you are ashamed of Him He will be ashamed of you.

“FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST: FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERY ONE THAT BELIEVETH; TO THE JEW FIRST, AND ALSO TO THE GREEK. FOR THEREIN IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD REVEALED FROM FAITH TO FAITH: AS IT IS WRITTEN, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” – ROMANS 1:16-17

You cannot care what others think.  Not everyone will like you no matter who or what you are.  I used to be quiet and not say what I felt out of fear of rejection, but then I was accepted by the Most High God.  I found out that didn’t benefit my life so now I speak up.  Being quiet never attracted the right people for me so why would I care if I offend people by sharing Jesus?  If people leave because of Jesus what would I lose?  God weeds out who is meant for me and you.  Those who are meant to stay will stay and those who are meant to leave will leave.  I can only be who I am.

“THEY WENT OUT FROM US, BUT THEY WERE NOT OF US; FOR IF THEY HAD BEEN OF US, THEY WOULD NO DOUBT HAVE CONTINUED WITH US: BUT THEY WENT OUT, THAT THEY MIGHT BE MADE MANIFEST THAT THEY WERE NOT ALL OF US.” – 1 JOHN 2:19

Our family are God’s children and our brothers and sisters in Christ.  They are not always the people you grew up with.  You can’t be afraid to let people go because by holding on to the past out of comfort is not allowing God to bring you what and who He has for you.  The best part about God’s provision is there’s always peace and understanding in the relationship.

It may not make sense to the world, but to a believer there is relief and “that’s my brother” or “that’s my sister”.  God says we will know them by their fruits and that is the fruits of His spirit.

For privacy sake I blurred out a customer’s face, but everyone at work (and personal life in general) knows I call him my BFF.  He’s the quietest, gentlest, sweetest man and the first person I never spoke a word to and finally said, “How long have you been a Christian?”.

The Holy Spirit recognized the Holy Spirit and he always makes my day.  I asked to take a picture with him so one day when I leave my job I’ll always remember him.

Jesus is the only thing we have in common and he is one of the most special people to me because he is an answered prayer of God’s provision.

Don’t worry about your life.