…You are My Beloved Son; in You I am well pleased (Mark 1:11).
A child needs affirmation from his parents. It is the job of parents to teach their children they are loved despite their weaknesses and flaws.
If children are instilled with that knowledge from a young age, they will grow up with solidity to their personality. They will not always be on a “works trip” trying to manifest perfection, thinking that the only way they will be accepted is by their good deeds.
A lot of times parents don’t know how to give that affirmation. Often they have problems because they did not receive affirmation from their parents.
I read a story about a man who had never been able to get affirmation from his father. The father had never said, “I love you and am pleased with you.”
This man was successful, yet he was very unhappy and would find himself weeping and crying for no apparent reason. So he began to go to therapy where he discovered the root cause of his problem. He learned he was constantly trying to prove himself to his father through works, which left him worn out all the time.
Several times during these counseling sessions this man made trips across the country to his father’s house still trying to get his father to affirm him. He longed to hear his father say, “Son, I love you and think you’re great. I’m proud of what you’ve accomplished in life.”
So many times we just want somebody to say, “I’m proud of you. I’m pleased with you.” But sometimes we must come to realize we may never receive that affirmation we desire from certain people.
One day the man left his father’s house saying to himself, “My father is never going to give me what I’m trying to get him to give me – he doesn’t know how.”
When he said that, it was as though something broke in him. From that moment on he experienced a liberty of spirit he had never known before.
Accepted in the Beloved
For He foreordained us (destined us, planned in love for us) to be adopted (revealed) as His own children through Jesus Christ, in accordance with the purpose of His will [because it pleased Him and was His kind intent] –
[So that we might be] to the praise and the commendation of His glorious grace (favor and mercy), which He so freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
(Eph.s 1:5-6)Part of our struggle may simply be trying to get affirmation from somebody who is never going to give it to us because he simply doesn’t know how.
The Bible teaches us that we have been made acceptable to God in the Beloved (His Son Jesus Christ), and that anyone who comes to the Father through Jesus He will in no wise cast out.
(Eph. 1:6 KJV; John 6:37 KJV)
We need certain things from our loved ones, but if they do not know how to give those things to us, God does. He will be our mother, our father, our husband or wife, whatever we need Him to be.
The Lord will give us and build in us those things that others are not able to give us.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A New York Times bestselling author, her books have helped millions of people find hope and restoration through Jesus Christ. Through Joyce Meyer Ministries, she teaches on a number of topics with a particular focus on the mind, mouth, moods and attitudes. Her candid communication style allows her to share openly and practically about her experiences so others can apply what she has learned to their lives.
Joyce hosts a TV and radio show, Enjoying Everyday Life, which broadcasts worldwide to a potential audience of 4.5 billion people. She has authored 100 books, which have been translated into more than 100 languages. More than 12 million of her books have been distributed free of charge around the world, and each year millions of copies are sold.
Joyce conducts close to a dozen domestic and international conferences every year, teaching people to enjoy their everyday lives. For 30 years, her annual women's conference has attracted more than 200,000 women from all over the world to St. Louis for specifically themed teachings by her and guest speakers.
Through her teachings, God has provided opportunities to meet the needs of the suffering and bring the Gospel in a practical way. Joyce's passion to help hurting people every day is foundational to the vision of Hand of Hope, the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. These outreaches around the globe include feeding programs, medical care, homes for orphans, and programs combatting human trafficking. In her hometown of St. Louis, Joyce and Dave, her husband, founded the St. Louis Dream Center (SLDC) in 2000. The SLDC serves the inner city through hands-on programs targeted at reaching the lost and hurting with the love of Christ.
Over the years, God has provided Joyce with many opportunities to share her testimony and the life-changing message of the Gospel. Having suffered sexual abuse throughout her childhood, as well as just dealing with the struggles of everyday life, Joyce discovered the freedom to live victoriously by applying God's Word to her life and in turn desires to help others do the same.
Joyce is and continues to be an incredible testimony of the dynamic, redeeming work of Jesus Christ.