Christians: "The acceptance you are seeking is not from the world, it's not from other people. The acceptance you crave is not even from God—He already has accepted you in the Beloved!
No, the one person you need acceptance from is you." ~ Dawn Dyson
Acceptance: “A receiving with satisfaction; favorable reception, as work [already] done; an agreeing to the act of Another” (Noah Webster, 1828).
One of the most difficult assignments of all is to accept yourself as God made you. Doing so best suits your God-given purpose, your unique service to God.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these”—Jesus (Mark 12:30-31, NIV).
God is love, so accept what He has made—you! He has made you altogether lovely, full of Grace, full of Light. “You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you” (Song 4:7, ESV).
Being set apart,
you will not be like anyone else.
When we unnecessarily try to rework ourselves—God’s perfected creation, His masterpiece—it becomes unnatural and hinders our divine progress, like a star of light trying to become the black night that surrounds it. It is works of the flesh, which do not work, and which lead to frustration and confusion. When we grasp for a shroud, we trespass upon the command not to covet what others have. We want it easier, we see what they have, and we think, “If I do this, I can get ______.” But in this mindset, we become uncomfortable in our own skin. The fallen world is never pleased—not with a saint. But God is...
"...We speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts" (1 Thessalonians 2:4, NIV).
"Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10, NIV).
Rather than grasping for deceit, God wants you to simply have Him. It is awe-inspiring and pure, a blanket of peace, and soul-assuring to receive from God with satisfaction. Our course then fits Eternity in a natural, straight-line way. When you seek His face, He will give you, you—your authentic self, a gift that is God-ordained, and He will ask that you please respect it.
Today, I encourage you to ask the Lord to reveal the truth about you, to you.
Face Him and face the truth that has run through your veins your life long.
It will set you free.
Jesus says, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31b-32, BSB).
Accept your authenticity as a purposely-created being, designed and managed by God Himself—you will be satisfied and content. You will not want. Delight in the fact that He knows what He is doing with you. He always has, always will, and He values you. He will bring you the desires of your heart in the very moment that you respect Him as your Creator and your Lord (see Psalm 37:3-5).
God is in control.
We are not doing a thing without Him—not a single one.
“Without Me, ye can do nothing”—Jesus (John 15:5b, KJV).
Accept what the Lord has made. Do not fight your life; embrace it. Do not bend a knee to the fallen world, but to God alone—our Almighty Lord and Creator on High.
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows" (James 1:17, NIV).
God bless you.
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Translations:
The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible, BSB, Copyright ©2016, 2018 by Bible Hub. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. May not copy or download more than 500 consecutive verses of the ESV Bible or more than one half of any book of the ESV Bible.
King James Version (KJV), public domain.
Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Resources:
Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary. “Acceptance” retrieved on May 25, 2023, https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/acceptance