Accepted by God

“Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.”

Romans 14:18

Recently, as many of you may know, I completed a campaign for public office. During a period of 9 months I scoured the neighborhoods of our city looking to achieve the favor of the citizens. This great effort was sure to pay off with the victory that I desired. Then came Election Day.

For most of the day I was at peace and not concerned with the results that were to come that evening. Then as the evening closed I became more and more unsettled. Beginning to feel my mind racing and myself losing control I turned to the only thing I knew to do; I prayed. Yes, when I get all crazy inside I pray. I find that it is the only remedy to what troubles me.

As I wrestled with God (sometimes that is what my prayers are; I hope I am not alone) about this uneasiness He spoke to me and brought me peace.

God asked me why I was anxious (I love His rhetorical questions). I answered that I was hoping to win. He then asked what winning meant (again with the rhetoric). Simply put, winning means the people of my city accepted what I had to offer. He then continued by impressing upon me how I was seeking acceptance of man and had forgotten that I had already received acceptance from my God. EUREKA!

My whole struggle that evening had nothing to do with winning, but everything to do with acceptance. How many of us have fallen into that same hole? It is that great big hole in which we seek man’s acceptance.

Paul writes in the book of Romans that when we serve Christ we are fully accepted by God and therefore approved by men. Think about that for a minute.

While we go around seeking the acceptance of man, doing whatever we can to achieve it, the answer is actually with God. When we leave our desire to be “socially acceptable” at the door and instead embrace our service to God we will achieve what we were seeking for.

On that last day of my campaign I learned the most important lesson of all; only the acceptance of my Savior is needed. He gave me immediate peace that day and I was able to spend the rest of the day relaxed and enjoying the time with family and friends. I was able to know God, and know that He approves of me.

You know what made it even better? I won! That is right I won the election. But then again that is not a surprise. After all the scripture reads that we are “acceptable to God and approved by men.” The victory was certain to come; it was merely His anointing and blessing that followed me wherever I was to go. Today, God wants you to take with you this same lesson. Go in peace, God approves of you, and after all that is all that matters.