Acknowledgement
1 b: recognition or favorable notice of an act or achievement
Validate
2 b: to recognize, establish, or illustrate worthiness or legitimacy
I started out by entitling this post “Recognition, Affirmation, and Validation,” but, after careful consideration and affirmation of the definitions of these words, I concluded ‘acknowledgement’ and ‘validation’ are the two words that best sum up the two most important parent-child relational benchmarks. How intriguing is it that they are similar in emotional relativity? They are certainly two sides of the same relational coin — a denarius for the one who dares to remain working side-by-side with our Savior.
There’s something deep down inside us that craves, no, requires acknowledgement and validation. The spiritual separation from God our sins wreaked hollowed out a love vacuum in our hearts that cries out like a cold baby with an empty belly. All mankind suffers this same hunger and thirst for righteousness until they enter an intimate relationship with Jesus. Many people hide from God as shame for their spiritual wretchedness overtakes their sense of self. We were made for relationship with God, never to be a hermit.
Many people seek the acknowledgement and validation of their friends and contemporaries. Some women have sought validation in becoming a wife or even a mother, or both. There is plastic surgery, endless compromise, workaholism, materialism, and being chameleon-esque cult of personality disciples. Some seek acknowledgement and validation in their clothing, hair style, and/or career position. Some seek to rebel as a means of rejecting others who they feel have rejected them and find an awkward solace in fellow rejectees. Some seek to find themselves among a flock and some seek acknowledgement and validation as the leader of the flock. Some have even settled to be the big fish in a small pond.
Regardless the circumstances, humanity has sought manifold [and even bizarre] means of filling that hole in our hearts because of that very awareness of the guilt that pervades the heart of every sinner. Didn’t we resort to sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll (or the like) in vain attempt at quieting our dying spirit’s wailing cry so we didn’t have to acknowledge the pain of our lack of acknowledgement and validation?
Had we discovered the depth of pain and depravity in our hearts that brought us to the point of wanting to take our lives? Yet we somehow persist to this point, most by miraculous, Heavenly intervention. Others by an initial acknowledgement that something is direly wrong and serious help is needed — we call that humility. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So, it is easy to conclude that we are where we are today, no matter the depth of the pain/crushing anguish of soul, by miracle and nothing else.
It might, also, seem obvious that we are being acknowledged and validated by the very God of the Universe who is altogether Creator, Lawmaker, Judge, Jury, Executioner … and Redeemer and Friend as we endure strict opposition from the devil. Satan seeks to destroy us and to, at minimum, pull the wool over our eyes while he pulls the rug out from underneath us. If he can’t kill us, he will try to permanently maim us and steal our voice, our personality, and our identity. That is the spiritual root of depression. The enemy of our souls wants to permanently disfigure us so nobody else would want us so with enough rejection we would seek him out - with our tail between our legs - and ask if he would take us back! That is why some people can’t break free from depression — they don’t believe there’s anything better and they might as well find a way to make it work as they teeter on the razor’s edge between the permanence of reality and the anguish of defeat.
Sin is many times the punishment itself, yet the lasting effects typically go without healing for lack of acknowledgment and validation of the pain and anguish we have endured at Satan’s hands. Didn’t we enjoy the illusion of control we thought we had over our lives? All while trying to figure out who truly cares and who truly doesn’t. It’s more than enough to make our heads spin! Yet God gives us more grace.
The bottom line is this: there is no need to live our lives as empty, unfulfilled, control-starved, wretched sinners when Jesus has laid down His life for us to live a completely free, fulfilling life in harmonious relationship with Him. Depression is every bit one’s stark acknowledgement of the hunger and thirst for righteousness of one’s own soul combined with the demonic torment of the evil Spirit of Heaviness.
Jesus brings everyone who enters into the Blood Covenant into a right relationship with Father God. Only in that relationship will we ever find the acknowledgement and validation we so desperately require — the agape, perfect, covenant LOVE of the Father.
Jesus wore a Crown of Thorns on His way to the Cross and He never took it off. The sinless blood He shed for us, through the thorns penetrating His scalp, brought us redemption from all wounds associated with our head and mind. Depression falls under that category. We shall be set free from depression if we bring all things under the Headship of Jesus Christ! Hallelujah!
Prayer
Father God, I confess to You today that I have sought acknowledgement and validation from people and not You. There have been times in my life when I did not sense Your presence or even seek You out as I retreated from You in fear and isolation out of fear. It caused me to seek the approval of others and reject Your plans for my life. I ask that You would forgive me and set me on a new path. I choose to allow You to acknowledge and validate me for the rest of my life. I want to be given the value You have placed on me and I repent of, renounce, and reject the poor evaluation others have given me that caused me to feel poorly about myself — and You.
Please allow me to discover how I am known in Heaven and, as You free me from depression, let me help others come to know Your saving grace as well. Help me to shed the labels and the poor self-image I have carried like an albatross as if it would gain me sympathy points. I receive whatever You have for me this day, my Lord. You are always working on my behalf so the very best will come out of all my pain and suffering.
Thank You, Lord. I pray this in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
Definitions provided by merriam-webster.com
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