Living Vertically: Embracing the Truth of Christ's Approval
There’s a special kind of power you find within yourself when you start living in sight of God alone. You could call it the power of the Holy Spirit maybe, or a strength that comes from living as one who deeply loved. Whatever you call it, it’s something I wish for everyone.
You see, those of who have placed our faith in Christ are approved by God. I’ve heard it said that when God looks at us, it’s like he’s looking at us with Jesus-colored sunglasses on. Our sin is *covered* by Christ. Our sins were gross enough to earn us death penalty, but Jesus paid our ransom in full. Believers are in a *perfect* relationship with God—fully walking in the love they were always meant for, with their sins no longer being counted against them. No wonder they call this "the good news"!
Now, what does this have to do with living vertically, or living in sight of God alone? When we live our life thinking about how God sees us, we can spend each moment with peace.
If we do well and things go well, we can have joy knowing God looks at us like a loving Father looks at his children. He loves seeing you shine!
If we do what we believe to be good and things go poorly, we can know we are met with the God of all compassion, who sees our best intentions. We don’t need to be consumed with how others receive our actions, but can rest knowing that God knew the whole story; he knows we are doing our best.
If we do something wrong, and things go poorly, we are met with a God who wants to guide us back into his way because he loves us and he knows what is good. He is full of grace, patience, mercy, and goodness towards his children. So again, we don’t have to be consumed with how others view our follies. We can consider what it means between us and God, turn from what was wrong, and take steps forward as we are led by His loving hand.
We live in the world: we have victories and we make mistakes. But we don’t have to walk in the anxiety of living to please other people, or trying to take their happiness into our own hands. The second we start looking side-to-side for our value or affirmation, or living horizontally, we feel the weight of a pressure that we were never meant to bear.
We can’t control what anyone thinks about us. We could spend our whole lives trying... but I’m sure you can imagine (or have felt) the pressure and stress that comes from trying to measure up to everyone’s ever-changing expectations. That’s no way to live. Anxiety comes when we try to control what we can’t control. And plus, what others think about us doesn’t really matter anyways. We can choose to live for the only opinion that matters: His. And he loves us!
Wanting to please people isn’t the problem; the killer is placing our own worth as contingent on their favorable opinion. Of course we want to love people and be a blessing to them, but we do that because God first loved us and blesses us. We live out of the overflow of our relationship with God. And that’s a really full relationship. Full of love, mercy, tenderness, and kindness.
So, the next time you find yourself worked up or worn out, because you have an image to uphold or a standard you want to meet, rest in the truth that you can live in view of God alone. Look up towards Him and know that he is with you—loving you and guiding you. Those in Christ, you are fully approved and dressed in the perfect righteousness of Jesus.
**Was this a blessing to you? Let me know in the comment below, or share with a friend who might be encouraged! :)
