Approval

Many of us are very diligent as we seek to win the approval of others.  We work very hard trying to win the approval of others through our actions and interactions with people.  In many cases people can become so consumed by this action that they spend most of their lives feeling miserable about themselves as well as developing a dislike for those from which they are seeking approval.  This becomes a vicious cycle in which we face disappointment, disillusionment, and personal discouragement. We are overwhelmed by the thought that we are not "good enough" to measure up to those from which we seek approval.  I am not trying to say that we should not be concerned about the feelings of respect and acceptance that others have for each of us but I do believe that it can be spiritually as well as emotionally crippling if we become enslaved to this desire for approval. 

We can become a slave to this action when we try to see and judge ourselves through our own eyes or through the eyes of others.  Evaluating your worth as a human being on the basis of how you look (physically, spiritually, emotinally, or even financially) to yourself or to others can become a trap from which it becomes increasingly more difficult to escape.  I must confess that there have been times that I have sought the approval of others more than I sought the approval of God.  I was more concerned about the view of others than I was the view of God concerning my life.  I became trapped by the need to "work" to please others more than the need to "serve" God through my life.  I am not advocating laziness in this process but I am advocating the need to seek to please God through our actions and interactions with others.  I finally reached the point in my life that I was more concerned about God's view of me than I was the view of man.  I was tired of seeking to please man and I was awakened to the need to please God.  I know that God has called me to be a servant among humanity but my first call is to serve God through every action of my life.  Your assurance and reassurance can come from the knowledge that your life is bringing honor and glory to Christ.  Jesus told us that men would have the ability to see and recognize our good works but these good works would glorify the Father.  Those are the days that you can look in the mirror and be thankful for the man or woman that you are becoming.  You have crossed the divide of the flesh and Spirit and you are seeking to walk after the heart and direction of God.  Great freedom will resonate in your life as you seek the approval of God and in doing so God will place wonderful friendships in your life.  These friendships will affirm and support you as you seek to walk pleasing to God.  I want my life to participate in that cycle of life rather than the cycle of only seeking the approval of man.