Even if you were a teenager with a "normal" life, there is so much nasty competition and mean gossip and hurtful manipulation. It is nothing short of alarming to watch how cold and detached and un-feeling people can be. It seems to make no difference even when the people are Christians sometimes. God's children at times have alot of "stuff" beside Jesus shining through!
And when all this extra hurt gets piled on top of your still-aching scars, the freshness of your pain can feel like you've stopped breathing. You helplessly groan as those old wounds just re-open, and everything floods back. A fight with a boyfriend/girlfriend can be painful to someone else, but it can mean complete agony for you, 'cause you're still drowning in feelings and insecurities from "the big issue."
You just want to scream, "How can nobody care about everything I've gone through? How can they make me so invisible? How can I 'not matter' this much?"
I'm so sorry - I wish I could take this away from you.
Remember Joseph in the Old Testament and his "coat of many colors"? Now that was a guy who knew what it meant for nobody to care - well, except his dad, but that never seemed to make any difference. His brothers hated him so much they threw him in a pit and nobody cared. Then they sold him for a slave and nobody cared. Then Potiphar's wife got him thrown into prison and nobody cared. He even ministered to fellow-prisoners and nobody cared. He finally got out of prison, but it wasn't 'cause anybody cared - it was 'cause Pharoah was upset about a dream and Joseph became useful.
But there's a quiet tidbit as you read through the story of Joseph. The Bible says - even through all the time as a slave and years in prison - "But the LORD was WITH JOSEPH. . . " (Genesis 39:2, 21) Now isn't that a crazy thing to say? Here he's endured some of the worst rejection and mistreatment a person can experience. How can you say, "the LORD was with him"?
I don't know all the answers, but I DO know- through all the dark days, God's hand never left Joseph. And God's love for and fierce commitment to Joseph never once wavered. And you know the end of the story - Joseph gets "the world" handed to him on a silver platter by Pharoah and he gets his family restored to him in repentance and loyalty.
A very wise lady once helped me get a vital principle nailed down. It's true that in your circumstances, many people will help you and you should call upon their help - don't stop reaching out for their help. However, you and I both know that every person on earth can let you down, sooner or later. So what do you do? Close down the shop and quit? NO - 'cause you always keep in mind Who the REAL Source is. If people help you, it's only 'cause they're letting God work through them. HE really was your real Helper all along. Don't expect PEOPLE to solve your problems - keep your focus on GOD and His help.
"My soul, wait thou ONLY upon God, for my expectation is FROM HIM." (Psalm 62:5)
So if people aren't coming through for you right now, it's o.k. It really was God helping you all along, anyway, and He will emerge from the shadows once again.
