God’s hope is different than other hope; it’s believing that no matter what we go through in life, there’s a reason for it, and God will work it out for good. God plans to prosper you, not hurt you; He’s promised that to you. As humans, we will have times of sadness, and not fitting in is definitely one of those times, but it helps to understand how God works.

First, God created everything about you – your nose, hair, height, literally everything. You are created in His image, so nothing about you is a mistake; you’re on a journey to live out what He has planned for your life. Being set apart doesn’t mean being isolated or alone. It’s about being chosen for a special purpose and being equipped by God to fulfill that purpose.

Some things we go through are to strengthen our faith. God wants to have a close, personal relationship with you that will last throughout your life. He sets us apart at times, so we need Him. Our faith grows when we see His faithfulness and feel His love in a deeper way. We can read about how much He loves us and quote Bible verses in our head, but it’s something different when we feel God’s love. Feeling God’s love brings us an everlasting joy that’s hard to explain, but it’s a feeling of peace deep in our souls, knowing that God will always take care of us.

Other times, God is building your character. God has a special plan and purpose for each of us, and by setting us apart, He is developing our character to become more like Him. We’re like God’s partner because He works through us to help hurting people. Our challenges refine and polish us, so we treat people with more compassion, kindness, humility, and self-control.  We’re more understanding so we can better encourage them and make a difference in their lives.

An important thing you can do while you are waiting for this time to pass, is to read your Bible and pray. If you’re feeling lonely, pray. If you have feelings of jealousy or anger, pray. And if peer pressure tempts you into something that doesn’t feel right, pray. You might not see it now, but growing your faith in this painful time will be one of God’s greatest gifts to you.

Read through the Bible verses I’ve selected to comfort and encourage you. Pick out the ones that feel right and meditate on them. Think about them over and over, and God’s love will find you and give you peace and encouragement.

Always remember, God loves you and I do too!