Belong... We use this word a lot in our lifestyles and thoughts. We say things like "I don't belong in a job like this," or "He is too big-city-minded to belong in a town so quiet," or "I wish I truly felt like I belonged somewhere." This last one is a pattern easily adopted into our thinking. "I wish I belonged somewhere." It's a sad, hopeless statement, especially when doubt settles in to the point where this thought becomes, "I'm afraid I'll never belong to anyone or anywhere." This one also, if we're not careful, is easily adopted into our thinking and can hurt us.
Sometimes, our hearts drift toward concepts that cause us hurt: sometimes things happen and we may feel like outcasts, or like wanderers looking for the next thing, or like we don't fit in quite well, uncertain and afraid of identity, or just lonely. Since I have been about sharing and being open, here is another layer of my heart that has been shed, but now will be made public: I struggled with questions and doubts of belonging. I somehow had adopted it into my thinking so smoothly, I barely noticed it was there. It had become so deeply rooted into my thoughts, it became normal to feel insecure in these questions. I didn't realize how much these lies and doubts had led me into a trap... until a friend sat me down and told me to be careful with my association with those ideas and that she'd been praying against those thoughts in me. Wow. What was awesome was that I hadn't even told her about this struggle. I had covered it up, not even thinking there was anything wrong with it. But there I was exposed before my friend and held accountable. What was huge is my eyes were opened as she talked with me. I had allowed those ideas to hurt my heart, but was lifted and encouraged as she said in truth, "You belong. You're a child of God... You are part of the Body."
Satan loves for us to feel alone or like wanderers, because it can cut us off from our fellow brothers and sisters of the Body... and that's just what he wants. But we belong. Belong... The truth settled in as my friend spoke that to me. No matter what the circumstance, no matter how insecure we may feel at times, if we are sealed in Christ, we are part of the Body. We are held together as one, no matter what. Some things may not be permanent as we are taken into different seasons and times, but the truth is we are never alone. Not alone, not outcasts, not rejects. Wrapped in this concept the mind is allowed to be free and healthy. I belong, you belong, we belong.
Another thing... When our minds are in this, we are free in love and peace. And we need to act in this freedom and reach out to our brothers and sisters in love. Love. Love is the greatest gift, and there are plenty of opportunities to love as we have been loved. Sealed in love, we are together, never alone.
