There is a universal (as far as I can tell) problem that everyone struggles with to some degree or another. That is worrying about what others thinks about us. This led me to the following question:
What good thing did God put in each of us that has been distorted into our fear of what others think of us?
As I’ve thought (and prayed) about this, here is what I’ve come up with. God created us for relationship, to love one another. Love looks to the other person, to see their needs and desires and chooses to fulfill or help them. This is the essence of love. To see how they react to us and, again, to choose to change for their benefit. It is not to gain approval or acceptance by doing this, for we would be secure in ourselves and in their love for us.
Acceptence, belonging and approval are languags of love and relationship. They are part of our makeup and need.
In our brokenness these have become wounds that drive us. In our isolation and abandonment, we become desparate for them (acceptence, belonging, approval), for love. We look to others to get them instead of giving them. We become/are controlled by our seeking them and are crippled when we don’t.
Tags: abandonment · Acceptence · approval · belonging · brokenness · fear of others · love1 Comment
[...] God to accept us (can’t be done, by the way). So if I’m driven, why? Does it go back to worrying about what others will think? And this guilt, I think it does as [...]