There is a deep craving of all people that can be summed up into the following: Everyone wants to be wanted. There is nothing more tragic than to see a child who sits alone, isolated, and rejected by their parents, their friends, or their peers. Even more concerning is to come into the company of a man who lives behind a veneer of “everything is ok” but goes to sleep each night melting inside.
Naturally, like many guys, I don’t want others to know that I don’t have it all figured out. It is my nature to protect my ego and build a fortress around the depth of my soul. Admitting to others that I don’t have the answer is like admitting defeat – and I don’t like to lose. When I allowed God into the center of my life… everything changed. I realized that through Him… I win.
My family doesn’t define me. My friends do not define me. My career doesn’t define me. My hobbies do not define me. God defines me. In this single change, I have found absolute contentment and know that the creator of the universe not only knows me… but knew me before the beginning of time. How can I be empty when I have that kind of power and presence in my life?
Don’t get me wrong… I still have fears and I still have doubts. But in the end, I sleep at night not concerned with the matters of men… but comforted in the abosulte grasp of God Almighty. That same peace is available for you. Listen to this… God wants you to turn to him – daily. He doesn’t need you to do it… He wants you to do it.
You cannot deny this: you want to be wanted. The good news is that you are wanted and accepted for who you are where you are. The rest comes in time. You are created uniquely for one purpose… to live in rhythm with your creator. There is nothing you can do to fill that hole and there is not enough money in the world to buy that peace.
That longing deep inside of your soul to connect and feel wanted can only be quenched by the discovery of faith. As men of faith, our top pursuit is to provide and protect. Rarely do you get a question from a friend who sincerely asks… “how are you?” and mean it. We have been jaded by the pursuit of happiness only to find that there is no end to that pursuit if something “bigger than you” isn’t involved.
If you find yourself spinning out of control, majoring in the minutia of life, chasing the prize of career, accomplishment, and conquest – I can assure you that you lie in bed many nights with your mind racing… and queitly wondering when someone will accept you for who you are.
Have you ever wondered… when will this stop? When will I find peace? If I could only do “this” then…
There are too many scars to overcome that are dealt by our families, friends, parents, siblings, communities, and others through our life… and those wounds can be very deep. Faith is about letting God reach in and fill your soul from the inside out.
A faith filled life takes fortitude, tenacity, perseverance, and guts. You have to be stronger than doubt. You have to be bigger than worry. You have to survive the crushing blows dealt by Godless men and be brave enough reach out to your attacker and pull them out of despair.
I believe in you. I am convinced that you are made of the substance that comprise faith. Dig in you heels, lean into the day, and live with a faith-filled gritty determination to find God. I need you to stand tall… watching you do God’s work emboldens me to stand up taller. God wants you… and that’s all that matters.
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