May: You Are Never Alone

It's been difficult to establish relationships with new people since I moved to a new country. People form their own cliques, making it difficult to be part of a community. To be honest, reconnecting with childhood friends were difficult enough when I relocated to Minnesota. People were always too busy, but it wasn't because we were too busy. It's because our relationship was not a priority. However, whenever a date was scheduled, it was usually canceled at the last minute due to some reason. It was exhausting to hear the same excuses. Perhaps I've adapted to Los Angeles because I prefer a straightforward approach over artificial politeness. 

It used to irritate me when I received a text message canceling plans, especially when I was almost halfway there. Or when it took me an hour to get to the restaurant due to traffic just to be told they had to leave in 30 minutes. I quickly recognized that these gatherings were not based on genuine relationships, but rather on faking pleasantries. I grieved these one-sided relationships, but I also learned that sometimes people are only meant to be in your life for a certain period, and they served a purpose. Some people are never meant to be in your life. And sometimes, there are some relationships that need reconciliation. 

Upon reflection, I needed to grow spiritually. What is spiritual maturity? Spending more time with God and learning more about Him. 2 Peter 3:18 reads, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” During that period, I did precisely that. The more I learned about God, the less I relied on other people to compensate for my loneliness and the more I needed Him. My discernment improved as I spent more time with Him. 

I thank God for that season because it's challenging to live 7,000 miles away from home, especially in a new country. That season in Minnesota taught me how to make time for God. It taught me to trust Him. It taught me that I needed to set aside time to pray, read, and be with Him. I was not alone. I was not without a community. God is with me. He continues to be my strength, and I know with 100% certainty that He’ll never cancel plans with me, and He’ll never cancel plans with you either. God will never fake pleasantries with you. God desires a real, lasting relationship. That’s how important you are to Him.