Have you ever been a part of an event or special occasion and felt out of place, or even yet as if you didn’t belong? When you leave, you feel depleted, unloved, unwanted, and that you didn’t exist. We all have been there at one time or another in our life. It’s not a fun place to be and often leaves us feeling wounded and in prime target for our flesh and Satan to have a hay day with our emotions, but there is hope…and I want to offer that to you today.

All that I’m going to share has come out of my own personal experiences, so as to not make you feel as if you’re the only one that’s ever felt this way. I love getting honest and vulnerable with my emotions as it gives me a place to share and pour into others the truth that God has shared with me. So know that we are on this journey together. I don’t have it all figured out, but that’s the beauty of our personal walk with God. He continues to challenge us and grow us when we surrender to Him everyday, and surrendering to God is a daily choice that we make out of which a beautiful life is birthed. So get ready for The Holy Spirit to breathe life once again into God’s truth that He is speaking forth.

Here is my one word of caution when you come away from any experience that has been negative to your mind or emotions. Be on guard! Do not let your mind run wild replaying scenarios of what didn’t go right or what someone should have done differently. This is a breeding ground for Satan to take over and beat you up with lies about yourself. He’ll tell you that there must be something wrong with you. Then you’ll begin to ponder on just what that must be; which will lead to questioning just what God thinks about you because these situations surely couldn’t be wrong about who you are.

Stop it right there! Halt! Do not let this go any further. If you don’t cease in this place, you will allow yourself to sink deeper and deeper into a place of discouragement, despair, and depression. Remind yourself in The Word just what God thinks of you, and let that be your final authority. Even if you don’t feel it, speak it out loud anyway. Your mind will eventually catch up with what your mouth and spirit are declaring, decreeing, and confessing. You are in control here. Don’t let Satan blind you to that truth. Stand on The Word…period.

If Satan can tear you down in what you think of yourself, then you aren’t going to be able to help anyone else. He loves to stop us from encouraging, sharing, and pouring into others. Confuse him really good here. Regardless of how low you are feeling, begin to encourage someone else even out of the negative experience that you just went through. No matter what lies he may have led you to believe, pour God’s truth and love into someone else. This will not only make you feel better, but it will refresh your spirit as you sow into someone else. You’re sowing in one area, but you will reap in another area of love and truth in your own life. You can’t ever go wrong here.

Satan’s tactics are always the same every time, but we so often fall prey to them. Sometimes that’s because we aren’t abiding in The Word and our relationship with God. Other times it’s because it’s easier to just lay down and act as if a problem doesn’t exist which gives him plenty of ground that he has no business taking. We always have to be paying attention to all that’s going on around us. Satan is seeking someone to devour, but that doesn’t have to be us. When we are full in God’s love, then he has a difficult time breaking down that wall because his power is no match for the power of Abba Father on the inside of us. Stay in a passionate pursuit of your relationship with God. It is one of the barriers to keep you from any further damage that Satan is just desiring to bring your way.

Be on guard with any negative experience that comes your way. Don’t believe the lies that Satan tries to fill your head with. You aren’t crazy, stupid, or ugly. You are a beautiful masterpiece of The Great Creator. No one is thinking about you as much as what you think they are. Relax and enjoy life, even if it feels all wrong. It’s one event that is soon just a distant memory. Deal with it, and move on…into the more confident and loved woman or man of God that you are.

You are so loved, and let Satan know that because that’s who the real you is. Loved, and there’s nothing he can do about it.