I LOVE THE IDEA THAT GOD CREATED US TO FULFILL A DIVINE PURPOSE, that God has appointed each of us to serve Him in a unique way, and that He needs us to do His work. But sometimes it can seem easy to fall into the trap of believing that we're just not that special.
The work that God created us to do is summed up in the two great commandments given to us by Christ Jesus. The first: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy mind" (Matt. 22:37). And the second: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Matt. 22:39). Recently, as I've tried to understand how I can show my love for God, I've realized I can best demonstrate it through my love for humanity. We fulfill the divine purpose for which God created us when we truly love our neighbor. However, I have found that a false sense of identity can severely limit our ability to recognize just how much God loves us and how much He needs us to radiate that divine love.
Throughout middle school and high school, I really struggled with a lack of self-confidence and self-worth. And this low view of my value darkened my mental atmosphere. My sense of self-doubt affected my daily interactions in numerous ways. I found it difficult to make friends and usually couldn't think of a single reason that anyone would want to be my friend. I also became very nervous about participating in class and would want to force myself to do so. Despite all the good going on in my life, thoughts of how worthless I was dominated my thinking.
