In our journey of faith, we may sometimes find ourselves longing for others to care about us personally, to be passionate about our church community and/or to be on fire for God. It’s natural to desire love and support, but what do we do when it seems like people don’t care, even when we think they should? In this devotional, we’ll explore how to shift our focus from seeking human approval to embracing God’s unwavering love, even in the face of indifference.

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” — Galatians 1:10 (NIV)

The reality is that people are complex, and their priorities and interests may not always align with ours. While we may have high hopes for their involvement or support, we must remember that free will and differing perspectives play a role in their choices. As we struggle with the free will choices people make, we get an idea of God must feel when we choose something different that He wishes for us.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” — John 13:34 (NIV)

When faced with indifference, we are called to respond with love. Rather than striving to make people care, we can choose to love them genuinely. This love reflects God’s grace, which is unconditional and not dependent on others’ reactions. We need to let people who don’t care know that we love them, but we cannot allow our joy or excitement to be less because theirs is less.

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18 (NIV)

In times of disappointment or feeling unappreciated, we can find solace in God’s presence. He understands our hurts and disappointments and offers comfort and reassurance. His love for us remains unwavering, regardless of how others may treat us. When we lose focus on God and focus on people, we can lose our own joy and happiness in the journey we are on.

I don’t think other people intentionally want to burst your bubble, be uncompassionate towards you or are rejecting God. I think we are all on different journeys and everyone walks their journey differently.

If you know a Christian who is a Debbie Downer and/or not treating other Christians like they are family, then I encourage you to pray for them and maybe find time to take them for coffee to see how you can help. You never know what is going on in someone’s life that may be impacting their actions.

As someone who has managed people for over 30 years, I have found that when people act out or act differently, it is usually because of a personal struggle they are dealing with, like becoming an empty nester, financial struggles, marriage issues, work complications, health issues, family challenges etc. They normally do not even realize that they are acting or thinking differently.

If you are Debbie Downer, pray! Find a trusted friend that you can talk to about how you are feeling. If you loved God and your church family at one time and you are disconnected now, it is probably something that has changed with you, not others.

Relationships are hard, whether it is with a spouse, friend, children, God, or your church family. We can choose to divorce any of them, or we can choose to work through our feelings, real or not, and the struggles in our journey of doing “life” together. I have found after being married over 40 years that I am so glad that I worked through the struggles and feelings instead of calling it quits. My encouragement to you today is work through it, no matter how hard or uncomfortable it may be. IT WILL BE WORTH IT!

While it’s natural to desire the care and support of others, our ultimate focus should be on seeking God’s approval and loving others as He loves us. When faced with indifference, let us respond with grace and compassion, finding our solace and worth in God’s unchanging love. As we embrace His love, we become better equipped to navigate the challenges of human relationships with a heart that seeks to love and serve, even when others don’t seem to care as we think they should.