THE DEAD DONT NEED PRAISE

A girl looking Sad around her friends

Good day, everyone. It has pleased the Lord to let us come together and share what He has in store for us at this very moment. May God open your hearts to His words as you read this blog in the Lord's Name.

The Spirit wishes for us to talk about our constant and continuous human struggle for recognition or simply approval whenever we have done something or performed a certain task. Constantly, we want people to be amazed by our performance or words; we want people to say "thank you" to us. Sometimes we want words of affirmation and recognition that we are doing a good job. We want to be seen as wise, hardworking, and intelligent, and sometimes we want people to see how successful we are. We want to inspire them, and when people do recognize us or see that we are being given the attention we are craving, we feel satisfied, contented, and appreciated all at the same time. Sometimes, attention or recognition from people acts as a motivation for us to keep going or moving forward in life. Sometimes, words of affirmation or recognition energize us and empower us to do more.

However, in life, that is not always going to be the case. Even though Proverbs 27:2 says, "Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips," it is not always as straightforward as it is supposed to be. Remember, we are living in a fallen world, and part of facing persecution is being denied the praise or recognition in moments that we deserve it. Sometimes, it is our own selfish motives in our hearts that make our desire for approval wrong. Furthermore, it is our own legalistic mind—that feeling that we have worked well and earned or just feel qualified to receive the attention—that makes it hard for us to get the recognition. Eventually, it becomes very, very frustrating.

For instance, in all our relationships and marriages, we all want our partners to recognize our efforts. At work or church, we all want our bosses and colleagues to recognize our efforts and the time we are putting in. At church, we all want our pastors to recognize our works as we put in effort to help the church move forward with its mission.

However, when the opposite happens,if we do not get the recognition and attention that we think and feel we deserve,we immediately go into a dark place. We become burnt out, bitter, jealous, and discouraged. Slowly, anxiety and depression start to build up. Eventually, contracts or employment are cancelled, marriages end, friendships turn into enmity, and a life worth living becomes filled with regrets and bitterness. It is a cycle that we all cannot deny; every one of us has gone through this. Perhaps for others, it is the story of our everyday lives.

The Cure of the Cross.

The big question is: does it always have to be that way? Well, we may have different answers to that, but the Spirit has a word to say about it. Surely,God does not want us to be that way; He does not want us to live our lives like that. Perhaps it was supposed to be like that before Christ came into the world. But when Christ died for us on that cross, He completely took away that curse that was on us because of our sins. Instead of us dying, He died for all of us so that, instead of living a life constantly struggling with our own desires for approval from people, He liberated us from sin and even from ourselves so that we can have peace and live a satisfactory and abundant life filled with joy and contentment (John 10:10).

After all, you died, and it is not you who is living anymore, but Christ who is living in you (Galatians 2:20). How can a dead person seek attention and recognition? For what purpose would that be? Unless you are seeking attention and recognition for the One who lives in you! For the Bible says, "We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10).

That is the only way we can get the attention of people: when we draw them to Christ. It is Christ who now makes us alive and gives us the recognition and attention that we all desire, satisfying our souls. The Bible says, "Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). And when God is glorified in you, He gives you the recognition, attention, and favor that satisfies you, including the peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

The people whom you think must give you credit, praise, a thank you, or at least recognize your effort, God is going to turn them all in your favor. Even if your earthly circumstances don't change instantly, you will rest in His peace. But as you surrender this burden, you will often find that all of a sudden, promotion is going to come; your relationships and marriages are going to be saved; and the praise you are going to receive is going to exceed the praises you would have received if you were operating in your dead self.

Remember, you died when you decided to follow Christ otherwise baptism would be significant and dead things do not attract anything nor attention. They are left to be buried and rot their way out of life. But you are alive through Christ, who was raised from the dead so that you can live today.

Do you want attention or recognition so badly in your life for the works you are doing or the type of life you are currently living? Redirect that to Christ. As 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." In return, Christ is going to satisfy you.

May the Lord approve you before Him and among men today in Christ Jesus.