'It was looking to be just another day in high school for Luke. Sitting in a bathroom stall during lunch, he silently ate his food and was grateful for a good lock on the door.

Already he had been tripped getting a seat on the bus, smacked in the back of the head in first period, shoved in a locker, and twice his books had been knocked out of his hands.

'At least I didn't get beat up in the locker room like yesterday.' He thought gloomly as he swallowed a bite of his turkey sandwich.

'How can I even say that? I'm a human being too!' He thought angrily.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He hated his bullies. He hated the school. He hated himself for not fighting back. His hate reflected into the sandwich, as the soft white bread now had deep fingernail imprints.

'Maybe they are right, I don't deserve to be happy.'

He suddenly threw his lunch on the green tile floor, disgusted with everything around him. Folding his arms around his knees he silently cried for the rest of lunch.'

This was just the opening of a writing contest I entered on here, but in reality this same scenario happens more often than we are aware of and possibly more often than we would be willing to even consider. There have always been bullies. All the way back to the beginning in Genesis are several accounts of bullies. Joseph being sold by his brothers is just one that comes to mind.

To everyone out there reading this, I want you to know that you don't deserve the abuse, the beatings or the hurtful words. God did not intend that life for you, he truly knows your pain and see your tears.

The shortest verse in the entire Bible, yet has a powerful message of compassion:

John 11:35 KJV
Jesus wept.

Jesus was full man and full God. And as He lived this life on earth, He experienced pain. He was beat so badly that he was unrecognizable.  He was spat on, publicly humiliated, and put through unspeakable torture that came with the crucifixion. Yet in this particular verse, Jesus wept because a good friend of His had died and as He looked on at the grieving family, He had compassion and wept.

Jesus knows our pain. He understands what it feels like to be abused. Every tear you have shed, God sees them.

Romans 8:28 KJV
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

We may never know why God has allowed you to endure hardships. We are not meant to be able to comprehend everything. We only need to trust.

If you have questions or need to talk please comment or P.M me. I will do my best to help.