The Hope of Being Accepted by Someone

By Tim Smith

We are all born into this world with needs, some have needs more than others, but we all cry out a summons: "attend to me!" As we grow we fashion pockets in our souls for which to place emotional requisites and we drape them with the imminent importance of having others reciprocate our endeavors.

The need for us to be accepted by those who are significant in our lives forms a very deep pocket. This seemingly abysmal pocket is crammed full of "The hope of being accepted by someone," and sadly for some, by anyone.

We seek acceptance from our parents, our siblings, our soul mates, our children, fellow believers, friends, people with authority, strangers, and even ourselves. Many times we go to the extreme of placing superficial scrims upon our faces and attempt to mirror those of whom we crave approval. We have, and will continue to be subjected to the weaknesses of others, just as they have been and will continue to be disappointed in us.

The world comes short of fulfilling our hope of being fully accepted, BUT GOD doesn’t! “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 "For God so loved the world…" He chose to create and love every one of us, and those who believe that Jesus is the Christ who died for our sins and rose from the grave, are covered in His righteousness and accepted into His kingdom. “Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You...” Psalm 65:4 

God did not choose us because of our efforts. His love for us is not dependent on anything that we have done or will do. GOD, in His wisdom, placed in our souls the prerogative of choice and all will decide their own individual response to the Psalmist’s statement, "and cause to approach You," that He places before us. “Because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.” 2 Thessalonians 2:13 

When the pocket that contains the compulsion to seek acceptance from the world is emptied at the foot of the cross, by God's grace, we can finally rest from that need. Jesus prayed: "And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." John 17:26 

My Lord, by Your grace, I pray that You cause at least one reader of these words to approach You and that You will lead him into Your embrace of love and acceptance, forever, Amen. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” Romans 8:14

Tim Smith writes from Medford, Oregon. mustread66books@aol.com