Let God’s Acceptance Save You from Fear
By Rick Warren
“Yet you made [humans] inferior only to yourself; you crowned them with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:5 GNT).
It’s hard for any of us to truly understand how unique and valuable we are to God. And that’s why we’re vulnerable to the fear of rejection, because we’re full of self-doubt. And that’s why sometimes when another person criticizes us, deep down inside we have the doubt and fear that they’re right. So it hurts even more.
For instance, if someone appears to be ignoring you at a party, you might say, “He must not like me!” But maybe that person was so focused on something else, that he just didn’t see you there. If we’re looking through the eyes of fear, we’re vulnerable to feeling like it was a rejection.
Here’s another thing: The effect of sin is always insecurity. The more we sin, the more insecure we become. That’s because we become fearful that people will see what we’ve been hiding or that they’ll reject us, and perhaps stop loving us, because of our sin.
What’s the antidote to the fear of rejection? Start by putting God in first place. Second, see the opinions of others with an eternal perspective. Then, accept what God says about you.
In Psalm 8:5, the Bible says, “Yet you made [humans] inferior only to yourself; you crowned them with glory and honor” (GNT). You were created by God, and God does not make junk.
God created us, and he made us acceptable through Christ — not because of what we’ve done, because we could never be good enough to be acceptable to a perfect God. In Ephesians 1:4, the Bible says, “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (NIV). Jesus Christ died on the cross, paid for all our sins, and covered us with his love. God looks down at you and says, “You are acceptable.” All you have to do is accept what Jesus did for you.
Because God created you and Christ has made you acceptable, don’t worry about what other people say about you. God is with you and he is for you. God will never leave you.
Play today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
Talk It Over
- Talk about the significance of this verse: “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (Ephesians 1:4 NIV).
- Because God created you and Christ has made you acceptable, you don’t have to worry about what other people say about you. What does living this truth look like?
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
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Loss is a part of life. But it’s in your seasons of suffering that God wants to lavish his incredible grace and mercy on you – and give you the true and lasting peace that only come from him.
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This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
You can listen to Rick Warren on OnePlace.com.
