“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man?” Galatians 1:10a ESV
Most of us would admit that we enjoy the approval of others. Some would go so far as to say (maybe not out loud) that approval and affirmation by others is the fuel that keeps them going. Then there are those who say they don’t need approval or affirmation from anyone, other than themselves.
I did a Google search for self-affirmation quotes. Here’s a sample of AI’s responses:
I am enough.
I am worthy.
I am resilient, strong, and brave.
I am capable.
I am in control of my happiness.
I can do anything I set my mind to.
I trust my instincts and intuition.
My potential to succeed is infinite.
At face value, these statements sound reasonable and admirable. When revised into second-person statements, for example: “You are enough.” “You are worthy.” “You are resilient, strong, et cetera,” these become the approval and affirmation statements that some people need to hear from someone other than themselves to feel validated.
Unfortunately, when you begin to peel back the shiny covers of those validation statements and others like them, the “rationale” and “truth” behind each statement begin to crumble. And when they do, the sleek veneer and the manufactured strength of the person clinging to those statements start to fall apart as well.
You see, saying that something is so doesn’t make it so. More harshly stated, a lie may call itself truth, but that doesn’t make it truth—it’s still a lie on the inside, simply masquerading as truth. Eventually, the mask will fall off, and the lie will be exposed.
The obvious question is this: When the mask is gone, and the lies are exposed, where do you find your validation? How do you define yourself and your identity when all that you claimed about yourself is gone?
For the person who does not know Christ, there is nothing other than trying again, with more elaborate statements of affirmation and assuming more intricately manufactured identities—a new masquerade. All the while, the person doubts themself and grows increasingly insecure in their identity.
For the Christ-follower, our identity is bound to Christ. In Him, we are a new creation—the old is gone, and the new has come.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
Our identity, value, and eternal destiny are affirmed, claimed, approved, and validated in Christ Jesus. No other validation is necessary.
“For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” – 2 Corinthians 10:18 ESV
Indeed, the world—this kingdom of the dark one, where we now live—is not going to validate the Christian’s beliefs, personhood, values, or lifestyle. Expect no applause, no affirmation, no validation, or accolades. That may sound harsh, but it is true.
So friend, what are we to do as believers? Cloister ourselves? Shy away from encounters with unbelievers? Not at all. We are to do just what Jesus did.
Jesus did not allow the naysayers, doubters, and haters to shake His confidence, redefine Him, or cause Him to waver in His mission of obedience. Jesus did not need validation or affirmation from anyone. Almighty God affirmed Jesus’s identity, and that was more than sufficient.
Jesus spoke Truth in kindness, love, firmness, and with authority. He loved the unlovely, He blessed those that cursed Him, He stood steadfast in the face of opposition, and He never gave in to the lies of the world or of the unbelieving religious leaders.
Christ is our perfect example. We are to embrace our identity in Him without apology.
We are to follow Christ’s example of remaining steadfast in the face of opposition—never giving in to the lies of the world. And we are to speak Truth in love and kindness, spreading the Gospel of Christ to those in need of a Savior.
We accept God’s claim on us as His children as all the affirmation and validation that we ever need. It is His approval, no other, that we seek.
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 ESV