Monday 9 April 2007

Life: A-Z; A is for Acceptance

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Authority, anger, advice, acceptance...some words beginning with the letter A that went through my mind but I decided to stick with acceptance. So what do I have to say? Hmmm, okay here goes.

I think there is a desire in everyone to be accepted. We want to be accepted into the right University, accepted on the perfect job or other great opportunities. Most importantly, we want to be accepted by others. The Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary defines accept as to approve, to consider someone or something as satisfactory.

I think I chose this word because I have struggled and sometimes still struggle with wanting to be accepted by people. For a long time, I tried to say the 'right' things, in the 'right' way and at the 'right' time so that I could have a sense of belonging. I did this until I began to lose a sense of my own identity and what made me me, my unique selling point.

I don't have anything against learning from others and adapting to new environments and situations but I don't think we were created to conform to a mold that was designed for us by others. We are created unique and I had to learn to accept the TOTAL me, with my flaws and imperfections and I realised that the most important person whom I would need to be accepted by was God and He had already accepted me just as I was but would work with and in me until I conformed to the image that He had of me. I didn't need to earn His acceptance, all I needed to do was to accept His forgiveness and I was accepted into His Presence.

Now I live for His approval because I love Him so much, I just want to do the things that make Him happy. It's still a journey for me breaking this cycle of 'approval addiction' as Joyce Meyer calls it but every day I am learning and I am changing.

I now realise that it is easier for me to accept others as well because as we are all loved by God. I'm learning to love and accept the person while not accepting the sin. Loving unconditionally.

My literary skills are limited but I pray this has been a blessing. If this is an area that you have had struggles in, remember that God loves you just as you are, you just need to accept His love and if you haven't please accept him into your life today because His greatest desire is to have a relationship with you.

Romans 3:27 (NLT) Can we boast then that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds it is based on our faith.

Romans 15:7 (NLT) Accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified.

Remain blessed

Me

2 comments:

Daddy's Girl said...

I lvoe this post, I have indeed been blessed. Learning to accept myself has really been a struggle, but it's gotten easier with time. I've come to know that those things I viewed as anomalies were blessings bestowed on me by the God of all grace. I love this part of the post: "I don't have anything against learning from others and adapting to new environments and situations but I don't think we were created to conform to a mold that was designed for us by others. We are created unique and I had to learn to accept the TOTAL me." Like you said, we each have our unique selling point, and it's a shame to lose that to the lure of the crowd. Thanks so much for this word.

Zoe Believer said...

@DG: Keep on stepping girl, in the uniqueness that has been endowed on you by God. Take care.