Love is Here

My personality is one that is entirely people-oriented. I can accomplish tasks like task-oriented people, but if I have to accomplish them alone or if I don't see how the tasks will interest, engage, or serve people, I will resent every moment. This is great in a lot of ways: I love to connect with people and I find it easy to do so, I love to plan and host events, I want to be my best so that I can bless others.

The 'dark side' of being people-oriented, however, is that I am also very concerned with approval, with being liked and loved. I crave those things. Wanting them isn't always a bad thing: it can make me work better, try harder, go the extra mile. It can also totally distract from the important things in life. My craving means that I'm  always searching for approval and love from a plethora of people. I want it from my parents, my friends, my mentors, my professors, my advisor, my department. I want it even when I know it's not logical to want it, that those people were never meant to fill that space in my soul.

One of the blessings of the Gospel is that we don't actually need approval or love from any of those people. They will never fulfill us, we will never be whole if we focus on whether others love or approve of us. The only things we need are God's love, His approval. All our sin, all our failing, all our inadequacy are washed clean by the blood of Christ, and God calls us blameless, beautiful, loved. We don't need the love that others can show us, the approval they can offer; we only need God.

Love and approval found in people will always disappoint, but the love of God never fails. We don't need to search for love, because He has already given it to us. Love is here, with Him.

Today's Verse
Galatians 1: 10
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.