The journey and path each of us takes are full of uncertainties and risks. These uncertainties and risks lead us often into a place of wanting to take the lead of our own lives. Over the past year, I have continually given the reigns over to the Father after taking matters into my own hands. I have wanted to figure everything out for myself, perfecting myself in who I thought the Lord had called me to be.
Something you all must know about me is I have had issues with fear of failure and fear of man for years. I did not realize how much I operated in them till I was at a place of risk. I began making decisions based on the possibility of failure and the disappointment I may be to those I cared about. The thing about those decisions is they were often not what the Lord had intended for me.
In August of last year I posed several questions to myself. I read over them tonight before I began writing and realized the truth of this idea is deep.
What does acceptance from man gain us?
The satisfaction of wholeness in God, which only He can fill?
The power to bring people Closer to the Lord?
The ability to have greatness among the world?
The latter is the answer. It fulfills our fleshes deepest desires of false motives and gaining glory in all we do. At this point, pride has overtaken us, blinded us and does not fulfill our longing for acceptance. For just a minute, let us act as if it is a literal blindness this acceptance of man causes. Imagine with me if you will, every time you seek this type of acceptance, your vision becomes more and more distorted. Over time you become completely blinded and without sight of the path you are taking. Can you imagine what it would be like to become blind because of your decisions and need for acceptance? I will be the first to say that I would have been walking blindly for the rest of my life. I realized over the last year how unfulfilling and detrimental it was to seek acceptance from man. It will lead you no further than you were before. You see the more you yearn for fleshly acceptance, the less you will depend on acceptance from the Lord. I can attest to this in my own life, yet the Lord has restored my eyesight.
The Lord has had to strip me of so much in order for me to see that I am more than just what I can do for someone. I am worth more than what He has called me to do. I am more precious to Him than to any human on this earth. He loves me so deeply and wants me to be fully restored. I see now that many things I did were not because I desired to do them for people, but because I longed for their acceptance. My motives were not correct and were rooted in deep fear. Since He has opened my eyes, I know I can seek His counsel first and not all human counsel is without bias.
Many times whilst struggling with acceptance from man, I have said exactly what everyone wanted me to say. The issue is my actions were often not what I had said beforehand because the Lord had gotten hold of my thoughts. I have learned that I process information by speaking it aloud or writing. Since I have realized this, I have become more aware of the words I speak to others around me. I never want to be a person who is divided. My words and actions have not matched in the past and to me that is a terrible thing. I am a woman who has been given authority and leadership from the Lord. Those things are not to be taken lightly. I want to be a woman of God who allows Him to be fully in the midst of all decisions I make. With my Father in the midst, it will allow me to be unified in thought, word, and deed.
I am not sure if any of you have struggled with these things, but if you have let me encourage you. Acceptance from the Father is the only way in which you can see clearly. Acceptance from Him is the only way you will fulfill the calling and purpose He has called you to. It is the only way you will walk fully in the identity you have in the King. Let no man corrupt your thoughts with his will for your life. Let instead God overwhelm your mind with His thoughts and will for your life. I promise you will be fulfilled with the latter.
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” -Colossians 3:17
I leave you with Scripture (one of my life Scriptures). I believe it is one of the most important things to remember. As a child of God, we are to follow in the steps of His Son, Jesus Christ. We are to show through our daily lives the light of Christ. I am determined to become a woman who is dependent on the Word(s) of the Lord. I want to be a woman who is not willing to compromise because of what a person will say or how they will react. I must stand confidently in the Presence of the King, knowing that I am called by the Lord and am a daughter of His Kingdom.
I pray your life is filled with this revelation. The revelation that God loves you so deeply and longs for you to trust Him fully. He longs for you to want His acceptance alone. He longs for you to draw near to Him and praise His Holy name!
