Battle for Acceptance

I remember in 1st grade, working on an extra credit assignment over the weekend. We could earn extra points if we wrote out on sheets of paper counting by 2's or 3's. I took several sheets of graph paper, and I went home and filled my pages by counting by 2's. I don't remember exactly what number I had counted up to, but it was in the high hundreds. That next Monday, I walked into class with such confidence, and such excitement. Certainly I was among the intellectually elite, not to mention hard working and quite the go-getter.

I walked up to my teacher when she called out for those who had done extra credit. I proudly stood up and walked to the teacher to turn in my papers. She showed me a big smile, and congratulated me for my efforts. Yet as I turned to walk away, Andy Harris turned his papers in. I overheard him telling the teacher he had counted up to the thousands, and by 3's.

It was the strangest thing, but in that moment I was crushed. Hearing that my best efforts were nowhere near as impressive as Andy's, hit me hard. Andy was a great guy and a friend, he didn't rub it in, and I am certain he doesn't even remember that moment. Yet, I was so deeply wounded.

At that time in my life, I was really struggling because of some hurt I had experienced, so I was pretty emotionally damaged. Because of this I had at a very early age become quite dependent on the praise and acceptance of others. A compliment or acceptance would send me soaring, and a word of criticism or non-acceptance would send me crashing to the ground.

I have learned that so much of what is ugly and painful in this world is fear disguised as something else. Deep desire for acceptance of others is a great example of fear disguising itself. This type of desire for acceptance from others, is simply the fear of rejection.

Deep desire for acceptance from others, is fear of man.

In Proverbs 29:25 it says, "The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe."

The only way we are victorious over fear, or specifically fear of rejection, is by trusting in the Lord. Our focus changes from other's opinion, and rests instead on God. Then we begin to hear and meditate on what He says about us.

So if you are struggling with the fear of rejection; if you are hurting because you are feeling less, or unworthy, please hear me.

The only place you will find true peace and real acceptance, is in God. In Him, you will find all the acceptance and love you will ever need.