Validation is Like a Drug

One of the most-used drugs these days (by those who don't use physical drugs) is I believe validation. We use it to justify all our behaviors. We get withdrawal sickness when we can't find our fix. I've had to unfriend/unfollow a few people lately (which I don't often do) because all their posts were slandering others who had disagreed with them and feeding off the agreement they got from their followers. If you get even a few comments from people saying you're right, that means you're right. I imagine that I'd never do such a thing, but is getting good feelings from reading your comments on good posts the exact same kind of behavior? It's something we all need to watch in ourselves, because we sometimes base our heart's standing on the support or the hate that we may receive. "Ah, if such-and-such applauds my words, saying I'm filled with the Holy Spirit, then it must be true!" Or like on a recent post of mine where I shared about a death threat, my first reaction when seeing hate is, well, I must be on the right track, because didn't Yeshua say, blessed are you when you are persecuted for my name's sake? The thing is, YES, we are blessed when we are persecuted for Him, but no, persecution never proves that you are doing something right. The ungodly persecute each other all the time. There are people who are definitely on the wrong track because of the fruit they are showing, and when they receive criticism for their bad fruit, they applaud themselves because of this persecution, quoting Yeshua. You can use neither support nor persecution to validate your beliefs and actions.

I have been extremely encouraged some days by those who comment or message me to thank me for what I'm sharing (on platforms besides this blog - I post here mostly just to safekeep my writings). I am a very shy, reserved person in real life, and my heart starts skipping at the thought of speaking in front of people, but I share openly online, because I realize that keeping my thoughts inside doesn't teach me anything. But there is such a slippery slope one can get on when it comes to sharing whatever is on your heart, and I just wanted to contemplate on that with you all today. If I write to receive validation for my beliefs, then I have failed. If I believe I am right because I am persecuted, then I have failed. It's also something we might want to think about when we read through comments and see tons of validation for someone or when we comment and offer validation. Are we lifting up this person to encourage them to keep giving glory to the Father? Or are we praising them because they said something that makes us feel validated? Validation is so sneaky because it's almost like a spell. Those who wield it unrighteously can influence masses of people if those people's ultimate goal is to give and take validation.

So, I would like to ask for prayer for myself and others who share what's on our hearts online to encourage the body, that we would not base our words and beliefs off the reactions of those who comment and support (or don't support) us. I am deeply touched by how many people have come into my life and supported me ever since I stepped out of my shell and began to write publicly to encourage others, but I never want my heart's standing before Abba to be validated by people. I want to be confident in my salvation based the validation I receive from Him, His Words, and His promises, not based on how the world views me. Because as soon as I take that path, I will lose everything the Father has taught me.

Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men or Elohim? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Messiah.

Jerimiah 17:5 So says Yehovah, "Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and who makes flesh his arm, and who turns aside his heart from Yehovah."

John 12:42,43 Still, however, even out of the rulers, many did believe into Him. But because of the Pharisees, they were not confessing, so that they not be put out of the synagogue. For they loved the glory of men more than the glory of Elohim.

1 Thessalonians 2:3-8 For our urging is not out of deceit or impure motives or trickery. But just as we have been approved by Elohim to be entrusted with the Good News, so we declare it — not pleasing men but rather Elohim, who examines our hearts. For as you know and Elohim is witness, we never came with a word of flattery or a motive of greed - or seeking glory from people, whether from you or from others, even though we could have thrown our weight around as emissaries of Messiah. Rather, we proved to be infants among you. Like a nursing mother cherishes her children, in this way we were yearning for you. We were delighted to share with you not only the Good News of Elohim but also our very souls, because you had become dear to us.