Counseling - Youth - Encouraging the discouraged
Turn to God for salvation and as a bonus you will experience a life of love, value, worth, peace and encouragement. Not that God fixes everything in your life for a smooth way. But that He is with us through it all, is in control, has our best in mind and for His good outcomes. So no matter what happens in life, trust Him.
Your parents are given by God to provide the basic needs you have such as food and clothes. And they should love you and love on you, but in a Fallen world these things are broken. We are not perfect as God is but He calls us to live after the perfect example of Christ. Yet those who are not Christian cannot live out that live and righteousness. So while we live in this world we need to be gracious and forgiving towards those who are not Saved [Christian]. Just learn good things you can and have as good of a relationship with your parents you can have (from your interactions, behaviors and responses).
One day you will move out of their house and live on your own. For Christians, God will be with us both at home and once we go out into the world ourselves, to live a life that honors God. Where you have more freedom. But you will always have some relationship conflicts both with friends and coworkers but the key is to figure out how to maneuver through them & deal with them having a godly right mindset. This can lower the conflict and usually have a positive outcome.
So your time at home is only a few more years. So gain what you can while there and know that you are not l8ving there forever. But theyre still your parents in this lifetime so do honor and obey them as long as it doesnt conflict with God's will & teachings (from Scripture). Ok?
Verses to Encourage those who are discouraged, feeling unloved and unvalued:
Discouragement is a part of life. We live in a fallen world. We are imperfect people, weak in our flesh – created beings who have little control over the circumstances of life.
As followers of Jesus, however, we have the solution for the discouragement we will inevitably face in life. First, if we belong to Christ, the Spirit of God dwells in us, empowering us to change and grow in our faith, and walk in the joy of obedience to Christ (Romans 8). Second, we have the powerful Word of God to encourage us, convict us, and challenge us.(2)
When you feel unloved remember:
The Bible is a love story from its genesis through eternity. Let these seven truths be the start of you inviting God’s love to sustain you.
God loves you forever
It is he who remembered us in our low estate, for his steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 136:23)
God is faithful to you
The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness… (Exodus 34:6)
You are never alone
Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:1b-2)
God is rebuilding you
…I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness. I will build you up again… (Jeremiah 31:3-4)
You are loved beyond measure
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)
God will restore you
And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
(1 Peter 5:10)
You always have love to give
We love because he first loved us.
(1 John 4:19)
When you feel discouraged remember:
"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).
“But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself; the Lord hears when I call to Him. Tremble, and do not sin; meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still.” (Psalm 4:3-4).
The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Psalm 19:7-8).
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 2:1-4, 12).
“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:6-9).
“And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
“Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33).
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:37-38).
“For I am the Lord your God, who upholds your right hand, who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you’” (Isaiah 41:13).
“I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:1-2).
“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6).
“A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, is God in His holy habitation” (Psalm 68:5).
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” (John 14:16-18).
“And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b).
When you dont feel of worth or value
Here are 25 verses to show you are valuable and valued by God.
Here are resources to help with anxiety or depressive feelings.
Books:
The Biblical View of Self Esteem, Self Love, Self Image
How to overcome inferiority judgments
Feelings & Faith: cultivating Godly emotions
Finding hope when times are tough
For women:
Biblical solutions for problems women face
Lies women believe & the Truths that set them Free
* Bookmark this page so you can go through all of this today, this week and month.
Footnotes
(1) Spotify Living Waters podcast #228
(2) cr. S Alewine
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