Little bit of a challenge this week to find a passage in Ecclesiastes that directly addresses approval. The best I can come up with is Ecclesiastes 6:1-12. This passage seems to deal mainly with the notion of a wasted life, but certainly addresses honor and causes us to consider what it is that makes life good and how God fits into that. Is approval from other people a necessary part of a good life? We'll discuss what level of chasing after approval makes it an idol.
Some questions:
- What role does God have in the satisfaction that wealth, possessions and honor can bring?
- Are you dissatisfied with what God has given you in this life?
- Are you ever irritated, discontent or unsatisfied unless you are loved and respected by a particular person or group of people?
- How can approval be an idol?
- Give an example of how viewing honor/approval as a gift from God would help to change your attachment to it.
- What does our society define as “the good life” and how is approval connected to it?
- How does Scripture define “the good life”? (see the Beatitudes)
- Do you find it difficult living a biblical version of the “good life,” especially if it means sacrificing approval from others?
- How can you exercise trust in God to be your source of approval?
What kinds of things do we do to try to gain approval from others?
- Not standing up for something we see as wrong
- Need to increase in knowledge of our field
- Get to know what other people like/want and shape ourselves to that
- Omitting information
- Conceal/reveal
- Not wanting to be weak
- Holding back our opinions
- Doing activities to impress others (e.g. resume, accomplishments)
- Conformity
- Disclaiming
- If we don't have it, we NEED it, get depressed, and fight harder to get it
- Not seeking God's approval first
- Looking for WORTH in other people
- It tends to spiral out of control; approval is insatiable
- Equating Christian friends' approval with God's
- Security linked to approval
- Identity in approval
- Get to know God and find out what he wants
- When we're not:
- Shame (vs. hope)
- Lack of peace
- Guidance can come from other people, too
- Parents
- Men
- Self
- Boyfriend/Husband
- Advisers
- Superiors
- non-Christians
- Siblings
- Finding approval in God and letting him define you
- Humble yourself
- BELIEVE Him
- Approval from others should be the icing on the cake, not the meal
- Seeking approval is insatiable, but when we aren't seeking it and receive approval, it can be satisfying and just stays there and we move on
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