Look Dad....

So today i was home with Bella, i realized i had been in front of too many screens for too long so Jayne and i went out into the yard, i worked on a project and Bella adventured around tthe yard. So as Bella climbed up and down the stairs, jumped off the porch, fell in the bushes etc etc. Every few seconds she  was yelling out "Look Dad!!!" It was cute at first, and then a few minutes later it got old fast. The longer it went on, the more i thought about how in her world me stopping for just a second to look at her meant everything. She really felt like she needed to to approve of her to make what she was doing special, or worth while. It made me think of we all feel that same desperation to have other's approve of us. Half of what we do in our lives is overshadowed by the desire to have approval of those around us. What we wear, what we say, what we write, how we act, we have this desire to just have approval, like we aren't good enough where we stand unless someone can look at as and say "good job", or as i replied each time to Bella Jayne "I see you baby." We usually have that "one" person who's approval we seek the most. Sometimes it's a spouse, a mentor, an employer, sometimes it's even someone who we know really doesn't like us. Just like with Jayne though, it didn't matter how often i looked over and gave her approval, she still needed more. No amount of approval we recieve will ever give us enough that we are satisfied, until we are completely assured in who we are, nothing is ever enough. Even more than seeking the approval of others, deep down we are seeking God's approval. The angst of this situation is all the more amplified when we aren't aware of it, deny it, or run from it. We think that by being moral, charitable, karma-rific, or whatever else eases the angst, but it doesnt. When we are aware of it we try hard, with more focus, but then we spend so much of our spiritual time/effort into religious action, and then the very relationship and worship of God that He desires/we hunger for is quelched by our own misguided efforts. Take comfort in this your position in this world isn't based on other's approval, regardless of how it feels, and God's love, acceptance, and approval has no basis on your actions. You were loved, valued, approved of, and valuable before you ever took a breath. When you catch yourself doing something that is subconciously or consciencly trying to validate yourself with any other's approval, that God sees you, and he wants you to understand that you already have all the approval you  could ever hope for.




Ephesians 2:1-10, Galatians 1:10, Romans 5:8