Or wondered if you're cool enough? Or popular enough? Or if that guy or girl likes you?

The Bible tells us that as Christians, we aren't friends with "the world" anymore. We are to be radically different. We become aliens and strangers to this materialistic, self-obsessed culture. Because we know God loves us, there's less desperation to be loved by other people.

The old focus on how we can get others to look up to us (so we can feel good about ourselves) is replaced with loving Jesus and feeling complete in his love for us. As non-believers (or new converts even) this can be hard to imagine, after years of thinking life is about how popular and successful we are. But if we stick to our faith, all this gradually changes... Eventually, it completely frees us from the need to impress others, and from that "lonely in a crowd" feeling so common in materialistic society.

Jesus said, "You will be hated by all men for my name's sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved". Matthew 10:22