Jesus appreciates you: Good to remember when life gets lonely

As a believer, you know that Jesus loves you. But have you ever considered that Jesus appreciates you too?

You make many sacrifices for God. You do your best to obey his Commandments, you treat others with dignity and respect, you do your best to be honest and truthful.

Staying on this path isn't easy. You have to say no to temptations. You refuse to compromise with wrongdoing. And, you deny yourself many things because they don't fit your life as a Christian.

That's why Jesus thinks so highly of you. He knows firsthand about temptation. He knows how hard it is for humans to resist. Since he walked the earth, temptations have multiplied a hundred-fold. Your loyalty means everything to him. Jesus appreciates you for the extraordinary effort you have to give to follow him.

Christianity is a tough life. Sure, the rewards are incomparable, but staying true to Jesus takes courage. Your family and friends may not be aware of the battle that's raging inside you, but Jesus is. He doesn't miss a thing.

When you're discouraged, you wonder if anyone cares about you. You wonder if you're making a difference. As a single person, especially, you feel alone.

That's when you need to remind yourself that Jesus appreciates you.

None of us can know--at least in this life--about the impact we're making on others. We're not always aware of people who are watching us to see if our walk matches our talk. We're also unaware of the life-changing effect our encouragement or kindness may make with other people. But Jesus knows.

So when your life seems to be thankless drudgery, when you'd like just a little bit of recognition for your sacrifices, remember that Jesus appreciates you.

One day, when you meet him face to face, he'll hug you and say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."