Dear Rose, 

Wherever you go, it feels like there’s always someone who has it all together. The girl who posts perfect photos of herself in brand new cute outfits has a boyfriend while you wear your older sister’s jeans and no one has given you a second glance. The confident girl who can walk right up to a stranger and make friends got the job instead of you. 

Fear and insecurity start to follow you around. You compare yourself to others and wonder if they look down on you because of the clothes you wear or because you’re quiet and awkward sometimes. 

You’re starting to wonder if God cares about you. Does He even notice what’s going on? You feel like there’s nothing left to hope for. Platitudes like “God has a plan for your life” don’t seem to mean anything when you stare at college applications. 

Rose, I know you might not be able to hear this yet, but this is what I want you to know. 

God Meets Us Where We Are

In John chapter 4, we see the story of the woman at the well. She was a Samaritan woman who had had five husbands and was living with another man. In those days, that made her a major social outcast. 

But Jesus reached out to her. A Jewish man who was without sin is seen in public with a Samaritan woman who had sinned many times. He knew who she was, and wasn’t embarrassed to be around someone like her. 

Instead, He reached out toward her. He told her about living water which will make it so she will never be thirsty again (John 4:13-14). He even told her who He is, the Messiah who had come to save the world (John 4:26). 

This is how the woman reacted: “Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?’ They came out of the town and made their way toward Him.” John 4:28-30 (NIV)

God used an outcast, broken woman to be part of His plan in sharing the news that the Messiah had come. Her testimony and place in society is a reminder of how powerful His work is. As a result, many Samaritans believed (John 4:39-42).

When Jesus met the woman at the well, she was broken — but after their conversation, she was restored. She was free to come to Jesus as she was and let Him work through her. 

Rose, the same is true for you. Even when you feel outcast and hopeless, Jesus meets you where you are. 

God restores us

The woman at the well was restored through her belief that Jesus was the Messiah. Now we are restored though His work on the cross. There is no condemnation or judgment for those who are in Christ (Romans 2:8). We are made new and our sin is forgiven. Every wrong thing we have done has been paid for and we can live a new life free from our past. 

When we are restored by Jesus, we can throw off the shackles of our old life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!.” (NIV) 

Through Jesus, we are made new. 

Let God In

Rose, let God in. Invite Him into your messy, broken life. I know this will be hard. Before I knew Jesus, I hid from Him, but that caused me more pain. 

Tell God about the negative voices in your head, your fears of the future, and your past pain. We don’t need to be weighed down by the troubles of the world, we’re meant to find rest and purpose. 

Jesus says, “Come to me all who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) 

Rose, don’t be afraid to be broken, because if you wait until your life is better, you will never come at all. Surrender the pain and let God in. He will meet you where you are and restore your soul.