"Lord, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death!" Psalm 9:13 NIV Bible
Although I didn't stand at the gates of death when my enemies persecuted me, it sure felt like it at times! I was picked last for sports, even as a small child. It felt like they had ganged together to torment me, and pick me last, because of my weight!
In middle school and high school, I wasn't chosen to be in the popular groups, I had assumed, because of my weight. Trying to shine, in the crowded of ignoring faces, I tried to have noteworthy ideas. But they were overlooked, often to be praised when another person restated what I had just said. My self-esteem sagged, and I felt so alone!
But there was a point, when the Lord showed me that this approval from others wasn't truly what mattered. It was His approval of me, that really was significant in my life. Jesus Christ gave His live for me, as well as for you, and if He would do that for someone like me who felt persecuted by others, I must be more worthwhile than I thought. I no longer needed their approval, and my self-esteem wasn't yanked around by the occasional approval of some. It's only the Lord God's approval that matters, in the big scheme of things!
