Nobody Likes Me

Devotional for 9/1/11

When I was a young teen I read a book where a troublesome main character responds to being rebuffed with this lyrical poem:

Nobody likes me,

Everybody hates me,

Guess I’ll go eat worms.

As an awkward 7th grader I instantly related to those words. Yes, I had some friends. Yes, I had family who cared for me. But in the midst of rejection or embarrassment I felt desperately alone convinced that no one was as wretched as me.


Years later, I have friends who love me and family who cares. But when I am feeling like a failure I still feel alone. The funny thing about being a grown-up is that experience and education should be on my side. My brain knows I am loved and accepted by God. But in an emotional crisis, my heart will resist letting my brain have a say in the matter.


While having breakfast, a friend and I were discussing how nice it is to just be able to talk with each other once a month. Not so often that we get bogged down with daily frustrations, but often enough that we are up to date on each other’s life.


Then she observed, “When we don’t share what’s going on at a personal level - we keep ourselves from connecting. Then the other people in our lives feel alone - like they’re the only ones going through whatever and feeling a certain way.”


It’s so true! When I think I am the only one going through something, I think I must be failing. I am the only one struggling to forgive, be content, ask God for all things and trust Him. Then the enemy uses my isolation to convince me something is wrong with me.


We are not alone!


Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;

never will I forsake you.”

Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

We are loved!

But God shows and clearly proves His [own] love for us by the fact

 that while we were still sinners,

Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) died for us.

Romans 5:8 (AMP)

We don’t even need to eat worms.


Dear Lord, Thank You for the love and support You pour out to me through friends. Please purify my heart that I may be a loving and faithful friend. Thank You for Your overflowing love. Thank You forYour promise that You will never leave me or let me go. (see John 10:29). In Jesus name, amen.


Written by Mary M. Wilkins