“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.
Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
– Matthew 10:28 (NIV)
Daily Meditation: Psalm 118:6-9, Matthew 10:26-42
We all seek approval. This desire to be affirmed and accepted is rooted in us from an early age, and whether or not we obtained this approval from our parents, siblings, teachers, or friends, we all still feel the deep longing to be approved by those around us.
The desire for approval is there because we actually need approval. God created us that way, so we should not try to pretend that need doesn’t exist. Ignoring it won’t make it go away, nor will rejecting people, which is how some women cope with their need for approval.
When Jesus said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul,” he made very clear who the provider of our approval must be: our Father in heaven, and him alone! Truly, God’s opinion of us is far more important than any human being’s opinion.
At the end of the day, the end of the year, or the end of our lives, it is God whom we serve, and it is his approval we seek. He is the one we live for here and now. I want to know that he looks upon my life and smiles at what he sees.
“The increased desire to please God and seek HIS approval
will decrease the desire to seek approval from man.”
– Yvonne Pierre
Although we can feel affirmed when we please other people, realizing that I really only need to seek God’s his approval is such a freeing reality. Start with that truth in your mind, push it down into your heart, and then live your life accordingly!
Let’s let 2019 be the year we grow closer to the Lord and become the fearless, strong, and faithful woman we are meant to be in Him! In Be Fearless, Julie Clinton provides a scripturally-sound guide for finding freedom, purpose, joy… and fearlessness. Be Fearless is now available in our store! https://www.aacc.net/product/be-fearless/ Consider working through Be Fearless with another extraordinary woman or group this year!
Julie Clinton, MAd, MBA, is president of Extraordinary Women and host of EWomen conferences all across America. She is the author of several books including A Woman’s Path to Emotional Freedom, 10 Things You Aren’t Telling Him, and Extraordinary Women. She is passionate about seeing women live out their dreams by finding their freedom in Christ. Julie and her husband, Tim, live in Virginia with their children, Megan and Zach.