Have you ever tried to ‘fish’ for approval? I’ve done it so many times.
“I didn’t even sleep well last night … that’s why I only scored 10 points…”
“I wasn’t able to prepare much … that’s why I wasn’t as sharp in the presentation.”
“I didn’t get to practice much … that’s why I didn’t sing well today.”
Approval addiction. What is it?
John Ortberg defines it as “living in bondage to what others think of them.”
How do we know that we are crossing the line of addiction?
1. COMPARISON
Approval addicts find themselves measuring their accomplishments against those of other people.
2. DECEPTION
Our concern for what others think about us inevitably leads us to shade the truth.
3. RESENTMENT
We crave approval too strongly, we inevitably come to resent the very person whose approval we seek.
How can we solve this problem?
2 Cor. 10:5 says that we are to demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Part of it means refusing to allow other people’s approval or disapproval to dominate our lives.
We are to take captive every thought of wishing to impress, dazzle and amaze people.
Lord, set us free from man-pleasing spirit.