A huge thing I am learning this year is that one of the greatest needs of humans is to be accepted.
Brene Brown has a popular Ted Talk on this subject which you can watch HERE. It’s only 21 min.
Everyone deals with Shame. Shame is the fear of not being enough. Shame keeps people from being connected to God and man. With shame, there is a sense that “I don’t deserve to be enough”.
Kris Valloton says in a sermon, “In society we create a picture of perfection that raises the level of what life is supposed to be like. And when you live anything besides that you start to feel like you’re not enough. We say stuff like, “I’m not good enough” or “these people are living up here”. It becomes a pressure to make people believe that you live up here, because you don’t want to be enough either because the number one need in life is to be connected. And who wants to connect with someone who’s “not enough“?
I have been seeing various aspects of my life that I have not been enough. I try to fit in and be accepted because in my heart I don’t believe that I am enough or that I am accepted.
I was having a flashback to my Training Camp. I was 1 of around 7 Canadians amongst 300+ Americans. I subconsciously began going to each of the squads to find all the other Canadians. I didn’t realize it until now (almost 3 years later!) that I was seeking to belong and be accepted. It wasn’t that I was rejected by all the Americans, it’s that I felt a lot more comfortable around people I was more familiar with and was accepted because we were from the same country.
I think of my home where we have many people coming from all different countries to work. As soon as they come, they don’t often start making friends with Canadians first. They will seek out their fellow Africans, Philippinos, Latinos, etc…
When you move to a completely new place, you feel alone and like you don’t belong. Because you don’t know you are accepted by God, you begin seeking human acceptance.
What I’ve been learning is that when we know deep down that we are accepted by God, whenever we feel like we don’t belong or are rejected, we can rest secure in His acceptance.
I want you, dear reader, to know that you are accepted by God. He loves you and cares for you. He has never abandoned you. He has always been with you. He is close to you. Whether you actually know God or not, this is the case. He has never rejected us, but we, time and time again have rejected Him. He is the most faithful being in the universe. He loves you because He loves you because He loves you.
Read these words as if it is coming straight from HIS mouth.
I accept you my child.
You are enough.
You are perfect the way you are.
I don’t need you to perform for Me.
I accept you just the way you are.
I love you My child.
I am so pleased with you.
Come spend time with Me and rest in My acceptance.
