This morning I had a brief encounter with my past. Reverse 25 years… Friendships, fun, careers, everything in common.
Fast forward 25 years… silence… eye contact with me avoided… rejection.
Why do I care? Why do you care? Why do we care? Why do we live for acceptance and approval? Why do we live a continual search for another one to give us a heart felt nod of approval?
Why, if acceptance is denied by one, does it negate all previous approvals?
The answer for me I understand may not be the answer for you. For me, I feel more normal when you love me. Perhaps this is true because I don’t even love myself.
Now pause. Focus. Exhale.
While a different context, the same impact: Galatians 1:10
Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.
Romans 5:8
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Romans 8:1
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,
20 for God bought you with a high price.
Psalm 118:6
The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
The list goes on and on and on because from Genesis trough Revelation God’s love story is told.
Father, today I rest in the value you have placed upon me. Why should I dwell on the person who would not acknowledge me when I have you… who did more than look in my direction… did more than design me… did more than smile upon me… did more than sing a happy song over me… did more than call me friend… did more than call me His child… did more than adopt me into His family… did more than any other has or ever will do… You died for me. You took what I deserve and placed the pain, humiliation, punishment, loneliness and abuse upon yourself all so that I can live under your wing of love and relationship. May I place my feelings of normal squarely upon your shoulders. May my reference for normal be solely from your perspective. Thank you Father for your love. Thank you for seeking me ad finding me.
Now… the story continues.
