Friends tell me that sometimes, they feel overlooked, particularly when they’ve been experiencing a low point in their life. This made me sad and I told them that I too have felt that way — all of us have at some point.
Sometimes when we feel especially vulnerable, we may think that our friends and loved ones become annoyed or frustrated with our sadness and that they eventually lose interest in our problems. Of course, that is almost never the case, as most people are good at heart and ultimately, our true friends and family members always care about us.
You’re probably read the short story “footprints in the sand” and it relates so well to the feelings of isolation or abandonment we may feel when we’re low:
Footprints
One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonged to him, and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. “Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.”
The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child, I love you and would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”
I love this for so many reasons. First and foremost, because it reminds us that in truth, we are never, ever alone — God is always with us and He always cares for us and loves us — that is not in debate, so never doubt that truth. I also do firmly believe that our true friends and closest family members always care for us, but sometimes, when we feel beaten down, we may not see their focus and attention on us as being enough. However, its important that we be conscious that it could very well just seem like that, because our fragile state makes us more sensitive and thus, skews our perception.
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:38–39
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” – Deuteronomy 31:8
“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” – 1 John 3:1
“The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” – Jeremiah 31:3
There are times when we will feel down and think “no one cares…” but we mustn’t ever let that false feeling take root. People are kind and good at heart and there are always people who care about you, because each and every one of us matters — every single person has value and merit and is important. And above all, we should never forget that God loves us unconditionally — His love is an eternal love and each and every one of us are His children and He never abandons us.
