Topic: You Only Need God’s Approval [RICK WARREN Devotional 29 May  2023]

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You Only Need God’s Approval

“It is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!”

1 Peter 4:16 (NLT)

When you stand for the truth and do what’s right, there’s no need to be ashamed or embarrassed. The Bible says in 1 Peter 4:16, “It is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name!” (NLT)

Let me ask you: Is an insult going to kill you? No. Is a putdown going to kill you? No. Is somebody calling you a name or labeling you because you’ve made a stand for Christ going to hurt you? No. Is some troll online who’s trying to bait you and get you into an argument going to take you down? No. None of these things will kill you. In fact, none of these things have to make any real impact on your life at all.

It’s vital that you understand this truth that will liberate your life: You don’t need other people’s approval to be happy.

You may have been trying to fit in with a certain group or get the approval of a certain person for many years. I hate to tell you, but if you haven’t gotten it by now, you’re not going to get it. The good news is you don’t need it! You don’t need anybody’s approval in order to be happy.

No matter what you do in life, somebody’s not going to like it. You can’t avoid disapproval. So if you’re going to have people’s disapproval either way, you may as well have their disapproval for doing the right thing rather than the wrong thing.

As you face opposition, remember this: If other people’s opinions matter more to you than God’s opinion, then you’re going to crumble when those people attack you because of your faith in Jesus. But if you focus on God and what you know is right, then you can make a firm stand.

Be encouraged by these words: “Stand firm against [Satan], and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are” (1 Peter 5:9 NLT).

Talk It Over

• When you have a chance to stand for truth, how does your desire for approval affect your response?
• Where can you find the encouragement you need to stand firm when people oppose your faith?
• When people disapprove of you because of your faith, how does it give you strength to know that believers all over the world are suffering for their faith?

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