Sometimes hard things in life are opportunities to dig deeper. Sometimes what’s seen on the surface has a root below that needs addressed. We can either numb the pain and cover up the offense, or we can choose to deal with the dirt and ask the tough questions. Why did that comment throw me off? Why did that action cause that emotion? Why are my feelings so hurt?

I’m grateful to God for His goodness, grace, and patience. This life is a journey toward Him, a process of becoming who He created us to be.

He showed me last week through a series of circumstances that I have always struggled with feeling like I belong. Whether it’s family, church, work… people leave and I feel abandoned, or jobs change and we have to leave.

I’m left wondering, questioning: do I belong? Is there a place for me at the table? Am I needed? Am I wanted here?

I was reminded of a past blog, At Home in Him. When God is my Home, I can go anywhere and do anything, because I’m found in Him and He lives in me.

But as I’ve been making progress in embracing my identity as His daughter, leaving behind the orphan realm, I had to pause and consider: even if He is my Home, do I really believe that I belong?

Because if I don’t belong to Him first, I will never feel like I belong anywhere else. I have to start with God. I was created for relationship with Him, for eternity with Him.

So I began searching for verses in the Bible about belonging. To rewrite my “feelings” and stand firm in the Truth. Certain ones jumped off the page at me…

“Who does that young woman belong to?” Boaz asks this about Ruth, and it’s a great starting point. Sometimes we have to ask the right question, and wrestle our way to the answer. (Ruth 2:5)

“You are looking only on the surface of things. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.” (2 Corinthians 10:7) This question of belonging requires us to look beneath the surface; we have to take an honest evaluation of our heart. Are we confident that we belong to Jesus – that He wants us? And do we believe that others have a place of belonging just as much as we do?

“Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.” (John 8:35) We are all God’s children, and we belong to His family forever. We’ve been invited and adopted in, regardless of our past. We don’t belong because we’re worthy; we belong because Jesus made a way.

“Whoever belongs to God hears what God says.” (John 8:47) When we belong to Him, when we remain and abide in Him, we grow in discerning His voice. The Bible becomes our soundtrack for life, drowning out the lies of the enemy.

“I belong to my beloved, and his desire is for me.” (Song of Songs 7:10) We belong to our Beloved – He longs to be with us.

We were created for relationship – for fellowship and community. I am a huge supporter of the local church. I believe we are called to be planted and connected, always reaching out to invite others into the church family. We are all needed, valued, and have a part to play. (1 Corinthians 12:12-31)

Yes, you belong in a gathering of local believers. But first and foremost, you belong to God.

I’m learning that our foundation needs to be built on the truth that we belong to God first. We abide in Him. If we don’t start with Him, we will never believe there’s a place for us. We will never feel like we belong.

The enemy would love for you to stay stuck in this place of un-belonging. If he can isolate you and make you feel unwanted, you’ll always struggle with being an outsider. And he’ll think he’s winning. But thanks be to God – we fight from a place of victory because of Jesus! Jesus rose from the grave, conquering sin and death – He has already won the war against the devil. Our part? We must believe. We must believe that God is who He says He is, and that we are who He says we are.

You are loved, dear one.

And you belong.