The Approval Trap: Finding Your Worth in God, Not Othersਨਮੂਨਾ

If you've been stepping back from your approval sources this week - whether social media, workplace validation, or people-pleasing - you might be wondering: "Do I have to go back to the old patterns?" The benefits of stepping away from giving Level 3 voices power can be profound, so imagine the potential of a few weeks or months!

You've learned to recognize the approval trap, built a healthy approval hierarchy, and discovered your true identity. Now comes the ongoing work of walking in freedom.

I have some reflections questions for you:

• What have you learned from this week?
• How have you heard God speaking to you during your break and through this reading plan?
• Who must you talk to about what you've been discovering?

I don't have absolute answers to whether you can have a healthy relationship with the "it" you identified earlier in this plan. However, regardless of what you choose to do once this plan is complete, I would like you to consider adopting a new practice.

If you want to re-engage those things you once looked to for approval, I suggest adding guardrails. Set time limits and stick to them. Read your identity verse before opening apps. Watch out for old patterns.

Watch for these signs you're falling back into the trap:

• Checking metrics multiple times per day
• Mood depending on others' responses
• Avoiding authentic sharing out of fear

I want to encourage you to begin preaching the Gospel to yourself every day. Hearing the Gospel one hour per week isn't enough when living 168 hours per week!

Consider this Daily Identity Declaration Practice: Before checking any approval sources (social media, email, texts), speak one truth about your identity in Christ. When you feel the temptation for approval luring you, replace the craving for approval with gratitude for God's love.

My wife had a professor who struggled with body image. One day, he had an idea: "What if I began my days by meditating on what God says about me?"

Each morning, he stood in front of his mirror and quoted verses out loud. He reminded himself he was God's masterpiece and beloved son. Saying these words didn't decrease his weight, but the Gospel did change how this man saw himself. He experienced Isaiah 26:3 NIV. “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

What if you did something similar? Before the world tells you what it thinks about you, you need to hear from the God who knows your name.

You weren't meant to walk in freedom alone. So, share this journey with trusted friends. Create check-ins with people who can remind you of the truth.

Changing your relationship with the approval trap begins with tuning in to who God says you are. His Word has the power to transform how you see yourself!

Imagine living from a place of security, rather than seeking it. Picture engaging with others - online and offline - from overflow, not emptiness. How would it feel to fundamentally shift from seeking people’s approval to resting in God’s approval?

One day, by God's grace, I am confident that you will be able to say the following words with complete honesty - "What God says about me is the truest thing about me." I pray that you lean into what He says and live out the freedom He offers.

If you enjoyed this plan, I would love to continue to encourage you by sharing a complimentary copy of You Are Who God Says You Are. This resource includes the three simple tools I've found that help me avoid the approval trap.