By Rae Lynn DeAngelis
We all struggle through life in one way or another. Where I have found myself struggling most, falling prey to Satan’s lies, is in my desire for the approval of others. So strong was this compulsion to please others that it became the driving force behind my eating disorder. In an effort to find love and acceptance, I took drastic measures to become what I thought others wanted me to be—thin.
Thankfully God helped me overcome the stronghold of bulimia through the truth of His Word, and I now believe my value comes from God—not man.
“Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I still trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10).
Although I have journeyed a long way in this area, approval seeking continues to be an area of weakness that’s deeply embedded in my personality. I sometimes slip into old patterns of behavior without realizing it and find myself bending over backwards to please someone at the expense of my own happiness.
So, why do I continually fall prey to this trap?
At the very core of my weakness is FEAR. Fear of disappointing others, fear of not measuring up, fear of becoming invisible, and fear of not being loved.
FEAR – False Evidence Appearing Real
Fear opens the door for Satan’s deception and clears the path to our own destruction.
“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe” (Proverbs 29:25).
More than any other command in the Bible, God tells us to fear not. If God instructs us to “fear not” it must be possible to accomplish—right?
So how do we remove fear from our lives?
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
TRUST – Totally Renouncing Unbelief Standing on Truth
“In God I trust; I will not be afraid” (Psalm 56:11a).
Fear of man proves to be a snare but trust in Jesus sets us free.
It’s time to trade your FEAR for TRUST!
